Source: Daily_Mail
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez pleased to be back in top four race
Rafa Benitez saluted his Liverpool side's resilience after they reignited their Champions League hopes with a Dirk Kuyt double against Tottenham.[LNB]The Anfield manager praised his striker after his twice-taken injury-time penalty sealed a vital win and said: 'He showed great composure but you would always expect that from him. He always works incredibly hard but he also has lots of experience and a great record for scoring goals here and in Holland.[LNB] Touch and go: Rivals managers Rafa Benitez (right) and Harry Redknapp on the sidelines[LNB]'Perhaps we have sent out a message with this win and performance. It was full of character and effort, and everyone else will now know Liverpool are a good team. I think the rest now realise we are in the race for a top-four place.[LNB]'I was pleased with the players' attitude and happy we proved our squad is not as bad as some people have been saying. It was vital we scored first, especially as Tottenham were playing well in the first half. We had some space when they started pushing forward in the second half. In the end Kuyt could have scored four.'[LNB]Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp sensed it might not be Tottenham's when he had to delay sending on substitute Sebastian Bassong.[LNB] Deadely Dirk: Kuyt sends keeper the wrong way to wrap up the points[LNB]'He'd forgotten to put his shorts on,' explained a bemused Redknapp, 'It's a new one on me and you do wonder, don't you? I don't know whether someone has to do his bootlaces up as well.'[LNB]Redknapp was unhappy at an offside ruling against Jermain Defoe after he appeared to have equalised early in the second half and said: 'As for the offside goal, I'm going to have to spend a couple of hours reading the rule book when I get home, because I just don't understand it.[LNB]'This was a missed opportunity. When you come here and there is no Steven Gerrard or Fernando Torres you think you're in with a chance but we didn't respond.'[LNB] Liverpool 2 Spurs 0: Dirk Kuyt gives Rafa Benitez breathing spaceLiverpool's Alberto Aquilani rises above the Anfield huff and puffTHE FIRING LINE: Big trouble for Big Sam - the Rovers boss heads our list of gaffers heading for the exit [LNB] [LNB]
