Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp would not have been pleased after watching his side surrender a 2-0 first-half lead to draw 2-2 with Newcastle United at Anfield on Saturday.
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The draw took Newcastle to within a point of fourth-bottom Norwich City and Benitez insisted an escape is possible with only three matches remaining.
Trailing to goals from Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana at the interval the Magpies salvaged a valuable point in their battle against relegation thanks to strikes from Papiss Cisse and Jack Colback.
A sample submitted by the France global after Liverpool’s Europa League tie with Manchester United at Old Trafford on March 17 tested positive for a banned substance.
“Every game I try to do my best to help the team, to help the fans, so today I’m happy to score”. Two shots on target and two goals – it sounds not too good and is not too good.
Of course those mistakes are what determine who wins and loses, but having them come from a Liverpool goalie is poor.
The hosts are unbeaten in their last five games at Anfield and have lost just one of their last nine at their home ground, whilst their last home defeat against Newcastle came back in 1994.
It was perhaps fitting that Benitez had earlier received a rapturous reception on his return to Anfield, where he remains a hero to Liverpool fans for conjuring the “Miracle of Istanbul” in 2005.
“I think they have the belief. they know we can change things and now it is easier for me to change the positions of the players when we have to: to press here, to press there – maybe play counter attack”.
On an afternoon that reaped 19 goals from four matches, last season’s Player of the Year Eden Hazard finally opened his league account for the season with two in Chelsea’s 4-1 win at Bournemouth. We did really well against an intensive opponent, but you need a bit of luck in decisive moments.
“We had this penalty situation, I think it was a clear penalty (when Daniel Sturridge appeared to be fouled by Cheik Tiote)”.
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Even after Benitez’s boys had pinched two points from us, the Kop rose to sing the Spaniard’s name in tribute to his six years as manager on Merseyside from 2004-2010.
