Bring on Gerrard, roars Benfica star
Portuguese striker Nuno Gomes wants Steven Gerrard to play the full 90 minutes at Anfield in the Champions League – so he can claim Benfica beat a full-strength Liverpool.
Gomes is confident Benfica, 1-0 up from the first leg, can finish the job at the last-16 stage and send the holders out of the competition.
Benfica’s win in Lisbon enraged Liverpool, who left midfielder Mohamed Sissoko behind in hospital with an eye injury.
Skipper Gerrard, who played only 12 minutes because of a minor leg injury, is expected to be leading from the front in the second leg.
“We are aware that we will be facing a fit Steven Gerrard playing from the start, not just for the final minutes as in Lisbon,” said Gomes.
“We were a little surprised by that. I know Gerrard is one of the world’s great players and the best in Liverpool’s team. For me it was a little strange that he did not play all the match against us.
“Maybe he was a little injured, but he seemed okay when he came on. They play a very organised defensive tactic and whatever players are involved it is the same.
“But I hope he plays at Anfield. That means that when we win people cannot say it was only because Gerrard was not playing. We want to beat Liverpool with him in the side.”
And Gomes seems unworried by the prospect of a second leg in front of a passionate Anfield crowd.
He said: “Our victory will help us get more confidence after some poor results. It will help us in our big match on Sunday against Porto.
“And of course it will also help us at Anfield. We know that will be hard with their supporters behind them, and we are aware of how difficult their fans will make it for us.
“But we are experienced and used to such atmospheres, and we also believe we will have our own chances to score. If we get just one it will make it very difficult for Liverpool.”
Gomes, who revealed he had talks with former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier over a possible move to Anfield, added: “This victory also proved that our win over Manchester United was not just a lucky one. But Liverpool were much harder to play against than United.
“Liverpool as a team were better than Manchester United. They defended very well and they had better players in midfield and it was much harder.
“But what we have proved is that when we are playing at home it is difficult even for the very best to beat us.
“We have not done very well recently so to beat the European champions will give us great confidence.
“Maybe we expected more from Liverpool, but 0-0 would have been a very good result for them. Perhaps they were thinking in terms of achieving that.
“I was expecting more from some players, but some days that is what happens.”
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