Liverpool Football Club News

• Nickname:Reds
• Founded:1892
• Manager:Kenny Dalglish

• Ground:Anfield
• Capacity:45,362

Benitez backing for defenders

08 Oct 2009 - 15:06:08

Click To Enlarge

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has backed his under-fire defence to bounce back from a torrid start to the season.

The Reds have already slipped to three defeats this season, but Benitez saw reason for defensive optimism during last weekend's 2-0 loss at the hands of Chelsea.

Central defenders Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel have both come in for major criticism during the opening weeks of the new campaign.

"If you analyse the performance of the centre-backs, it was clear to see they were much better and that was the positive thing to take from the game," Benitez told the Liverpool Echo.

"Skrtel is a really good player and Carra was doing better again. Maybe you could say something about the second goal but the signs, for me, were much better.

"It was a difficult game for the central defenders to play and you know that when you come up against the top sides you must keep it tight.

"We paid for one mistake but, in the main, I was very pleased with the performances of Skrtel and Carra and they were doing the right things."