Benitez praise Gerrard
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Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez heaped praise on Steven Gerrard after his winner in their 1-0 victory over Manchester City.
The strike was his first in the league since April at home to Aston Villa, and was added to the brilliant goal scored in midweek against PSV Eindhoven.
Manager Benitez said: "It was certainly important for him to score his first in the Premiership this season. It will give him more confidence and he is a player of such quality we know he can do things like that.
"And he is now playing well, happier when he scores goals and happier with his performances generally. This is the positive message from him now, he can get better and better."
Benitez was forced to utilise his resources in unusual roles, such was the lengthy injury list that has hit Anfield.
He said: "We had a lot of centre-backs and a lot of forwards fit, so we had to use them all. We played three central defenders, and we were able to change the strikers.
"Players had to be used out of position but it was the only way we could handle the situation."
Liverpool now have an identical home record to Chelsea - even down to goals scored and conceded - and it is their away record that is destroying any hope of a title challenge.
Benitez said: "Maybe it is a little physiological now, but let us see if we can beat Portsmouth at home next week and then go to Wigan and see whether we can find our first away win of the season."
Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce was furious with the mistake that gifted possession to Gerrard to score his crucial winner. Joey Barton and Sylvain Distin were equally to blame for allowing Dirk Kuyt to prod the ball into Gerrard's path.
Pearce said: "You cannot give Steven Gerrard the ball like that 20 yards out. If you do, all the hard work that has been put in goes down the drain.
"They had thrown everything at us and they were not going to break us down. It was one costly mistake and that is what happens when you are playing a top-four club.
"We set out to frustrate them and did it pretty well. Micah Richards did a great job in an unfamiliar role in midfield and we reduced them to very few chances.
"Not very many sides will get anything at Anfield, but if we produce performances like this on our travels, we will pick up plenty of points.
"But it all boils down to Gerrard's goal. He hardly needed his confidence boosted, did he? We did not need to make it easy for him."
The strike was his first in the league since April at home to Aston Villa, and was added to the brilliant goal scored in midweek against PSV Eindhoven.
Manager Benitez said: "It was certainly important for him to score his first in the Premiership this season. It will give him more confidence and he is a player of such quality we know he can do things like that.
"And he is now playing well, happier when he scores goals and happier with his performances generally. This is the positive message from him now, he can get better and better."
Benitez was forced to utilise his resources in unusual roles, such was the lengthy injury list that has hit Anfield.
He said: "We had a lot of centre-backs and a lot of forwards fit, so we had to use them all. We played three central defenders, and we were able to change the strikers.
"Players had to be used out of position but it was the only way we could handle the situation."
Liverpool now have an identical home record to Chelsea - even down to goals scored and conceded - and it is their away record that is destroying any hope of a title challenge.
Benitez said: "Maybe it is a little physiological now, but let us see if we can beat Portsmouth at home next week and then go to Wigan and see whether we can find our first away win of the season."
Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce was furious with the mistake that gifted possession to Gerrard to score his crucial winner. Joey Barton and Sylvain Distin were equally to blame for allowing Dirk Kuyt to prod the ball into Gerrard's path.
Pearce said: "You cannot give Steven Gerrard the ball like that 20 yards out. If you do, all the hard work that has been put in goes down the drain.
"They had thrown everything at us and they were not going to break us down. It was one costly mistake and that is what happens when you are playing a top-four club.
"We set out to frustrate them and did it pretty well. Micah Richards did a great job in an unfamiliar role in midfield and we reduced them to very few chances.
"Not very many sides will get anything at Anfield, but if we produce performances like this on our travels, we will pick up plenty of points.
"But it all boils down to Gerrard's goal. He hardly needed his confidence boosted, did he? We did not need to make it easy for him."
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