Source: Daily_Mail
Anfield boss Benitez gives Gerrard one more day to prove fitness before making biggest decision of h
Sitting it out: Steven Gerrard (centre) warms the bench during Liverpool's rout of Blackburn
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has given Steven Gerrard one more dayto prove his fitness ahead of their crucial Champions League clash with Chelsea.
The Anfield boss admitted Gerrard's availability could be the key to his side somehow turning around a 3-1 deficit from the first leg at Anfield and claiming the unlikeliest of semi-final places.
After leaving Gerrard on the bench for the duration of Saturday's 4-0 thrashing of Blackburn, Benitez will asses his skipper's recovery from a groin strain before making one of the most critical decisions of his five-year Anfield reign.
'Stevie has been working with the physio, and he will train later today,' said Benitez. 'We will decide after that, but it is good that he is feeling better.
'Clearly, we need him, because he is a key player for us. Everything can change when he is out there and playing well.
'We will talk to the doctor and with Stevie, but I don't think it would be a massive risk. It would be if there was a danger of losing him for 10-15 days, but he has played with these problems before and been OK. I would call it more of a calculated risk.
'It would be good to show the same spirit as in Istanbul four years ago, when we came back from 3-0 down at half-time in the final against AC Milan to win on penalties. The fans will be behind us, as ever, and if we can give them something to cheer early on, it could make a difference.
'But it is going to be a very difficult task, but don't forget Bolton showed on Saturday what can be done by scoring three late goals at Chelsea.
'We will be aiming for an early one ideally, so we can put them under pressure.'
Benitez also defended his controversial zonal marking system, which some blamed for his side conceding two Branislav Ivanovic goals from set pieces in the first leg.
He added: 'Chelsea have six or seven players that are really good in air, and that was clear the other day.
'We talked about zonal marking but we scored against Blackburn who use man-to-man marking and yesterday you could see goals conceded between Aston Villa and Everton using man-to-man.
'So in the end it depends on the quality of the players in the air. [Zonal marking] has been good for us in the past so hopefully it will be good in the future.'
Asked if the Reds could take heart from Bolton's late three-goal show against the Blues on Saturday, Benitez added: 'Yes. If you play well and have a bit of luck, you can score a goal, so we will see. It will be good for the club if we can win, so we will try to win.'
