Benitez relying on crowd boost
Rafael Benitez believes a passionate Anfield crowd can fire his strikers into goalscoring action tonight as they bid to salvage their Champions League aspirations in the showdown with Benfica.
The Portuguese club lead 1-0 from the first leg in Lisbon and Liverpool have to score at least twice to retain a hold on their European crown.
Anything like the shot-shy performances of late from Robbie Fowler, Fernando Morientes, Djibril Cisse and Peter Crouch will see Liverpool’s amazing European adventure grind to an embarrassing halt.
Those four have mustered 40 appearances between them in 2006 and one goal from Crouch is all they have managed in that time.
“I have confidence in my team, I know we must score two but we can do that,” said Benitez.
“Our supporters will make us work harder and we have scored three in the final against Milan and earlier against Olympiacos.
“It is just time. The strikers are working hard, if we create chances they will score.
“If we see headlines again after the game talking about our strikers not scoring and Sami Hyypia and Jamie Carragher have found the net, I will be just as happy.
“It is not important to me who we play in the side but how they play. We have a selection of strikers and we can use anyone of four and I have confidence in whoever I select.”
He added: “If we score early it will be easier but if not we know we can keep going right to the end.
“We struggled to score goals against Charlton but I do not believe the opposing goalkeeper will be man of the match in every game at Anfield.
“If we need three goals I have confidence we can do that. I know people are saying our strikers do not score, but I want to make it clear that our team is playing well and that is all that really matters.
“If we concede we know we will keep going. We did that against Olympiacos last season in this competition, it was difficult in the second half but we did it and scored three.
“It was the same against Milan in the final, we can score three and we will be determined to score more than one.
“Our fans are the best in the world and I believe Benfica will feel the pressure of playing in front of them and our team will be boosted by that experience.”
Fowler, who is expected to start his first Champions League match at Anfield alongside Peter Crouch – who did not play in the defeat in Lisbon – said: “It is up to the forwards. We do need to score more goals and nobody is hiding from that.
“Nobody has thought about losing, we as a club have come back from behind more than once here. We can do it again.
“They did their homework on us and stopped us playing in Lisbon. But now it is our turn to do our work and win this one.”
Hyypia is winning his fight to be fit. The big defender damaged a hamstring in the goalless draw with Charlton on Saturday and needed a scan as a precaution.
But Hyypia trained yesterday and Liverpool will give him a late fitness test before confirming their side against the Portuguese club.
Liverpool will bring back into the starting line-up the players rested against Charlton, with Steve Finnan, John Arne Riise, Xabi Alonso, Morientes and Luis Garcia all in contention.
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