Source: Daily_Mail
Liverpool are on a roll: 'Lucky' Rafa Benitez admits Reds stole derby win
Rafa Benitez admitted luck had favoured his Liverpool side yesterday but claimed a hard-fought derby win over Everton would be the springboard for an assault on the Barclays Premier League top four.[LNB]After seeing a Joseph Yobo own goal and Dirk Kuyt's late strike topple Everton 2-0 at Goodison, and lift his team into fifth place, the Liverpool manager said: 'We rode our luck at times, because Everton were very direct and difficult to control from the beginning.[LNB]'But there was character about how we stood up to the challenge. We have confidence now to start winning games in a row. That's the key to getting in the top four.'[LNB] Turning the corner? Benitez believes the derby win over Everton can be the catalyst to Liverpool's season[LNB]'A derby is always very difficult and also very important so a win today could set us up for the rest of the season.[LNB]'We are higher in table now, everyone is happy, so we will see if we can keepwinning some games,' the Spaniard said.[LNB]Benitez also hailed keeper Jose Reina, who dived low to his left tokeep out Tim Cahill's header and then stood up to block MarouaneFellaini's rebound.[LNB]'It was a great save from Pepe Reina, which was crucial also. He showed he isa top-class keeper,' Benitez said.[LNB] Stunning: Reina repels Fellaini's effort[LNB][LNB]'To defend a lot of throw-ins, corners and free-kicks during 90minutes against a team which is good in the air as Everton is not easybut he helped the team and in this situation he was amazing.' [LNB]Liverpool stalwart Jamie Carragher is also hoping the derby victory will see the Reds embark on a winning run.[LNB]'I think we just shaded it to be honest, but it was not a great game. It was a typical derby game, a lot of long balls, second balls and a lot of fighting but not a lot of quality.[LNB] Not pretty: But Carragher was delighted with the result[LNB]'But a win is important. Results went for us yesterday so we realised it wasan important game to move up the league. We've not performed as well as we'dhave liked this season but we're the ones who can change that, with a couple ofwins hopefully we can do that but we still have a long way to go.' You can't blame David Moyes if he leaves the Everton hotseatEverton 0 Liverpool 2: Rafa rides his luck as dominant Everton are kept at bay by ReinaEverton boss Moyes: I'm choking because this club just isn't progressingEverton 0 Liverpool 2: As it happenedEVERTON FC
