Benitez stays positive as Liverpool slump continues

10 November 2009 09:09
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez insists his team is playing well and creating chances after watching them struggle to draw 2-2 with Birmingham City at Anfield.

The result leaves the Reds seventh in the Premier League table, 11 points adrift of leaders Chelsea, and they have won only one of their last nine matches in all competitions.

- Liverpool 2-2 Birmingham City
- Premier League table

However, Benitez said after the match, that his side only rescued a point from thanks to Steven Gerrard's controversial late penalty: "You have to be disappointed because it's a draw at home, but the performance of the team was again pretty good.

"We had plenty of possession and attempts, we showed character until the last minute. The fans were pushing. We couldn't get the third goal but we showed character.

"We had a lot of chances in the first half and it was unbelievable to see us losing 2-1 at half-time. We were attacking and attacking and I think we deserved to win.

"If you analyse the last games - against Lyon we conceded in the last minute twice, and then this game. You can't change the result but if you analyse you can see the team is doing well.

"The team is creating a lot of chances and sometimes you can't do anymore. From the beginning we were on top of them. You didn't see a team that was thinking, 'Oh, we're playing badly.'

"Since three weeks or a month ago I've been saying the same - take one game at a time. I will not talk about the table or position. We won six games in a row before and then played really well against (Manchester) United under pressure.

"The reaction of the players has been fantastic - the only thing we couldn't do is get the three points."

Source: DSG