Rafa Benitez conceded Glen Johnson's own-goal
paved the way for Liverpool's demise to Arsenal on Sunday. It was
the second time in a week that the Kop faithful had witnessed their
side surrender a lead after the Gunners came back to pile more
misery on the Reds, as they suffered their sixth league defeat of
the season.
Liverpool's dire week began in awful fashion as their UEFA
Champions League campaign came to a sorry end when Fiorentina
secured a 2-1 win on Wednesday. And Sunday's identical score-line
was the first time since Robert Pires' winner for Arsenal in 2003
that the Reds relinquished a lead in the league on home soil.
The Reds were 1-0 up through Dirk Kuyt's strike at and seemingly
cruising going into the interval, but the Merseysiders crumbled in
the second-half as Andrey
Arshavin
sealed the win with his fifth Anfield strike in
two seasons after Johnson put
the ball in his own net.
Benitez's side now trail fourth-placed Aston Villa by five points and are a
serious doubt to regain their Champions League status, which
according to former boss Graeme
Souness would see them go into financial meltdown.
But Benitez was trying to focus on the positives and insists his
side still stand a good chance of a top-four finish, so long as
they play like they did in the first-half and not the second. "I
think the own goal changed everything," the Spanish tactician
told
"The confidence changed and then we started making mistakes - we
conceded the second goal too early too - but the first half was
really, really good and we were very pleased and we thought it
could be even better. "But the second-half changed and then they
were playing with more confidence and we were playing with less
confidence."
Benitez did lament Liverpool's failure to get a first-half
penalty when Steven Gerrard
was sent tumbling by a clumsy William Gallas challenge in the 12th
minute. "I think it was a penalty," said the Reds boss, whose team
have now won just three times in their last 15 games.
"It doesn't matter if the ball goes away because it at the end
of the day it doesn't matter if you foul someone in the box - it's
a penalty."
Wigan are the next team up for Liverpool on Wednesday and
Benitez knows his side must bounce back quickly. He added: "We know
we have another important game on Wednesday, we have some players
coming back so we have to keep working hard and be ready for the
next game.
And the Reds tactician still maintains his side are on course to
qualify for the Champions League next term despite Sunday's
reverse. "I think again top-four is the same target, it's a long
way (until the season ends), we have to keep going, keep winning
the games we can."
