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Rafael Benitez wants Liverpool to repeat Lille effort against Portsmouth
Spaniard wants all three points against south coast strugglers...
14 Mar 2010 14:15:00
By Zack Wilson
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez believes his team must work as hard as they did against Lille in the Europa League in midweek if they are to beat the Premier League's bottom side Portsmouth at Anfield on Monday night.
The Reds lost 1-0 in France last Thursday, but Benitez believes that there was a good work ethic running through his team that he'd like to see repeated.
"I think I will have to guarantee now that we will work as hard as we did against Lille," the Spaniard told his club's official website.
"At home against bottom team Portsmouth people will not just want a win, but a lot of goals.
"If we play well, 1-0 would be fantastic. You just have to win. It is an important week and Portsmouth have nothing to lose, so they are dangerous."
The Reds gaffer also acknowledged that it has been a very disappointing campaign for the club but he is still sure that his players have what it takes to finish in the top four of the Premier League.
"We were doing so well in the past, and it is sometimes difficult to keep this level. We were pushing and trying and every year improving in different areas," he added.
"The Champions League, FA Cup, league - it's not easy to keep this level if you do not have the money that maybe other teams have.
"We cannot win the title, so we have to be ready for one game at a time and see if we can finish in the top four. It has been a disappointing season, but we can still fight and improve.
"It doesn't matter what they [the press] say. The main thing for me is we have to perform, we have to win games, and we have to try to be in the top four."
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The Reds lost 1-0 in France last Thursday, but Benitez believes that there was a good work ethic running through his team that he'd like to see repeated.
"I think I will have to guarantee now that we will work as hard as we did against Lille," the Spaniard told his club's official website.
"At home against bottom team Portsmouth people will not just want a win, but a lot of goals.
"If we play well, 1-0 would be fantastic. You just have to win. It is an important week and Portsmouth have nothing to lose, so they are dangerous."
The Reds gaffer also acknowledged that it has been a very disappointing campaign for the club but he is still sure that his players have what it takes to finish in the top four of the Premier League.
"We were doing so well in the past, and it is sometimes difficult to keep this level. We were pushing and trying and every year improving in different areas," he added.
"The Champions League, FA Cup, league - it's not easy to keep this level if you do not have the money that maybe other teams have.
"We cannot win the title, so we have to be ready for one game at a time and see if we can finish in the top four. It has been a disappointing season, but we can still fight and improve.
"It doesn't matter what they [the press] say. The main thing for me is we have to perform, we have to win games, and we have to try to be in the top four."
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