Rafael Benitez has spoken very fondly of his return to Anfield yesterday as his Newcastle United side came from behind to draw 2-2 with Liverpool in the Premier League.
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Here’s Rush the Kop’s player ratings following a very disappointing game against Newcastle that saw Liverpool drop points from a leading position.
Daniel Sturridge put Liverpool ahead after 76 seconds and it was 2-0 on the half-hour when Adam Lallana scored the second but Newcastle rallied after the break through Papiss Cisse and Jack Colback to clinch their first away point of 2016.
That game was overshadowed by Luis Suarez’s bite on Branislav Ivanovic and again controversy hung in the air at Anfield with news of Mamadou Sakho’s failure of a UEFA drugs test.
“I’m really pleased because of the passion and fight they showed”, former Liverpool boss Benitez told Sky Sports.
Sunderland, who lead 19th-placed Newcastle on goal difference in the relegation zone, also have two games in hand over their rivals but if Newcastle eventually do stay up, yesterday’s second-half fightback will be seen as the turning point.
Rafa Benitez left Liverpool’s luxurious Titanic Hotel with his players on the morning of this match, possibly wondering whether the captain really should go down with the sinking ship.
Daniel Sturridge was brought down just minutes into the second half – just after Newcastle had clawed their way back into the game – but the referee did not award a pen.
“We have to keep going”.
Neither side could find a victor so it ended all square leaving Liverpool down in seventh position while Newcastle move level on points with Sunderland at the bottom of the table. But in this moment we have to accept it.
Benitez said: “We lost at Leicester, didn’t play well against Southampton and started to improve against Norwich”.
The reds will need to be more resolute in defence than they were today. We had this penalty situation [with Sturridge] – I think it was a clear penalty.
“Two shots on target, two goals”.
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In the EPL this season, the Belgium global goalie has made most individual errors leading to an opposition goal.
