“It was a good delivery and very difficult for the keeper,” said Benitez,

Benitez added: “The players’ reaction has been very positive.

“I am disappointed with the result but really pleased with the effort of the players. They were fantastic.”

Opinion will remain divided about the performance but it is far better that Rafa speaks positively about the players and not having a go at them in public, that does not help.

Reina cannot really be blamed , it was one of those crosses in to a packed area and he can be forgiven any mistakes anyway seeing as he is one of the few players this season that have been a hero for us.

Reina is a class act and personally would rather have him between the sticks than any other goalie in the Premiership that’s for sure.

“When you play away you have to score when you have chances,” said Benitez. “We had two or three good chances and, particularly in this competition, you have to score away because it is an advantage.”

“But there is still 90 minutes to play and we will have to play well at Anfield and do our job.

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

Of course Rafa is dead right, a European night at Anfield is not matched anywhere else in Europe and history has shown us that at home we can overcome almost any hurdle.

Yes we are not playing well, that we know but there is a positive to take from this.

A comeback win against Lille could give us that boost that we so desperately need, something a win against Portsmouth may not do and seasons can be turned around based on one great result and coming back against Lille could be just the tonic the doctor ordered.

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A win tonight will see us go back to 4th and back in pole position, anything less and our prospects will take a hit.

188Bet Odds

Wigan 7.00
Draw 3.95
Liverpool 1.58

Head to Head and Statistics

Benitez has explained the dynamics behind his thinking and dealing with a player fresh from injury in a league unknown to him and into a team that was at the time struggling,

“When you have been injured for a while, it’s not easy for a player” said Benitez

“Then when you are available and the team isn’t doing well, it makes it even more difficult.

“You have to decide if you can afford to give him two or three games when you know he’s maybe not at the level he could be, so you could end up losing some of them.

“Alberto isn’t stupid. He knows the priority now has to be the team and what’s best for them. All he can do is keep training and making sure he is ready when we need him.

“We have had a conversation about things and he knows the situation. Alberto is a very good professional, who was a big name in Italy, and he wants to show his quality here.

“When you’re like that, but cannot play for three or four months and then you’re available but can’t play because the team is maybe doing really well or has problems, it’s a difficult situation for any professional.”

Reading between the lines does look like the gaffer is saying that he has told Aquilani to up his game but at the same time made it clear that Aquilani time to date with us has hardly been a smooth one.

Martinez comments that 4th is ours to lose may be his way of trying to add extra pressure on to us before the game this evening and thus enhancing his own team’s chances.

Then again it may be just that he holds us in high esteem and has said so and either scenario is quite plausible.

Or it could be a case of both, he wants to add the pressure but at the same time wants to express his admiration for us.

Read the comments yourselves and draw your own conclusions, personally think he is just being pleasant, he does not come across as the type of manager that does mind games, not just yet anyway.

“They have got great experience in trying to achieve the aim they are looking for and, whoever is going to have that composure and calmness in the next 10 or 11 games, which they have got, it’s going to make a big difference,” Martinez said.

“Looking at the quality of their individuals, you are talking about world-class players, and the experience and know-how of those players, playing together for a long time, and the knowledge of their manager – I think it is for Liverpool to lose, the fourth spot.”

Here are his quotes and without wanting to bore you it is worth reading what he has to stay because when Benitez comes back at him as you can be assured he will then it is better we understand the context of the expected Benitez response

“Blackburn’s performance was the best any of my teams have played there.

“It’s just not factual.”

Now reading all that waffle I get the impression Allardyce was digging deep just to come back at Benitez because really all he had to say from beginning to end was hardly cutting, it was in fact a desperate attempt to save face.

We beat them fair and square and they do play long ball and they do foul like it is going out of fashion and no matter how much Allardyce waffles those facts cannot be argued with.

Anyway will leave Benitez to respond further, he seems to be doing a damn good job of it.

If you look at Jamie’s words in black and white then yeah sure he did say the following

“I’ll still play my best and if I have to move then I’ll move. It wouldn’t bother me.”

“The club will give me a new contract if they want to,” he added. “It’s a club thing. It’s down to them. I’ll keep playing and see where it takes me.”

Now lets have a bit of a reality check, for starters Jamie is 32 and no spring chicken, he knows as we do that he wont be going to Barcelona, Real Madrid, Man Utd or even Arsenal and that does not leave too many teams on the same level as us now does it.

Would Jamie really go down a drop in class, I don’t think so, would he really put on the shirt of the likes of Chelsea or Man City against us, again I don’t think so.

What Jamie in our opinion is saying is nothing more than trying not to make his contract situation a big issue, throw away comments like “i am not bothered” etc are just that throw away comments.

If anything he is thinking about retirement because the club will extend his contract, it is according to Benitez Carragher himself that is waiting to decide the next step

“There is no news about Carragher,” said Benitez. “We have spoken to him and he was very clear that at this moment he just wants to concentrate on doing his job.

“I think Jamie prefers the situation as it is. The information I have is that he is comfortable with how things are and that he wants to wait.”

So Benitez confirms that they have spoken with him, its not like they don’t want to extend his contract.
The real question anyone should ask is what Jamie Carragher make any future move that would destroy his legacy at Anfield and the answer is hell no.

You know what to quote a great man this story “don’t bother me”

Talks have been ongoing between Mascherano and the club and the signs are positive according to the gaffer,

“He is more focused and I know he is happier,” said Benitez. “I have spoken with his agent and now Javier wants to improve and he wants to push us into the top four.

“The approach ( to contract talks) is good and he is happy. He is one of the best. He is captain of Argentina, one of the best teams in the world.

“The conversations we have had were very positive. The first thing is the player. He has really settled down now. Then there is the agent.

“He’s been very good when we have dealt with him in the past. Everyone knew that some clubs were interested in Javier but, talking with us, it was always fine.

So the agent looks onside, the player is happier, the boss is confident he will sign and even Barcelona looked to have backed off.

Signs are indeed positive but until he does sign on the dotted line nerves will continue to be exposed by the fans and club alike.

Reina is up for the Premiership’s Golden Glove Award and Rafa has made a very strong case for Reina,

“We are really pleased because I remember at the beginning people said ‘for England, in the air, he is not the best’,” explained Benitez.

“He is the best in England, miles away from the others, and we are really pleased to keep him here for a long time. He is always organising the defenders and is more than a keeper. Sometimes the style of goalkeepers is for them to be really good in the six-yard box - Pepe is really good in the 18-yard box.”

Reina has agreed to sign a new deal something that Rafa claims is 100% certain

“Pepe is a key player and it is 100 per cent he will continue with us,” said Benitez

“Since he came from Villarreal always he has shown his character and his passion, his commitment with the club. Now I know 100 per cent that he will continue with us.”

Rafa is of course right, when we were without Torres and Gerrard and struggling it was Reina and Kuyt that stood up to be counted and between them they were responsible for dragging us back up.

If justice is served then Reina will get the award.