FOOTBALL

LIVERPOOL: RAFA BENITEZ SLIDES TO NEW LOW

Lille's Pierre-Alain Frau, left, challenges for the ball with Liverpool's Emiliano Insua

Friday March 12,2010

By Paul Joyce in Lille

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RAFA BENITEZ put a brave face on Liverpool’s latest defeat and insisted his team will overturn last night’s reverse in Lille to reach the last eight of the Europa League.

Liverpool slipped to a late 1-0 defeat – their 15th loss of a turbulent season – as Eden Hazard’s free-kick punished Benitez’s side for a succession of missed opportunities.

Benitez refused to be overly downbeat, however, and praised his players for their response to Monday’s harrowing 1-0 Premier League defeat by Wigan before vowing to reach the quarter-finals of the competition.

“We’re disappointed with the result, but I’m really pleased with the reaction of the players in terms of effort,” said Benitez.

“I am confident we can beat anyone on a good day at Anfield with the fans behind us.

“The fans will appreciate this and they will push and support and get behind the team. I’m optimistic.

“The first minutes will be important. Sometimes you can play well, score an early goal and then you can manage the game.

“If we show the same mentality as today, we can beat anyone.

“It will be a difficult game but we are confident that we will beat them.”

Liverpool were left to rue a succession of missed opportunities before Belgium youngster Hazard struck his 84th-minute goal.

And had loan player Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang not hit a post minutes later, Liverpool’s task next Thursday would have been monumental.

Yet, there were glimpses here of Fernando Torres rediscovering his range after injury and a bullish Benitez said: “When you play away in knockout competitions you have to score, especially when you have two or three chances.

“It was a pity we did not take our chances, but the reaction has been very good, very positive and we have 90 minutes now to play.

“Torres was working hard and maybe his pace is coming back.”

Benitez, meanwhile, refused to become embroiled in a fresh slanging match with Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce, who claimed his feud with the Spaniard will continue as long as they are both Premier League managers.

When asked if he had any response to Allardyce’s latest barbs, he said: “Who? No comment. No publicity for him.”