Hicks: Benítez 'right man' for Reds

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The Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks today insisted that Rafael Benítez has the full backing of the club's hierarchy despite their fitful start to the season. Benítez has come under increasing pressure from a section of supporters, who are bewildered with his rotation policy and a series of poor performances in the Premier League and Europe.

Last night's 2-1 defeat at Besiktas left Liverpool bottom of their Champions League group, but Hicks insists Benítez's ability is "unquestioned". "We back Rafa," said Hicks, who owns the club with fellow American George Gillett. "He's the right manager. Rafa's rotation has been his policy for three years. Rafa's ability to coach and manage in the Champions League should be unquestioned."

Hicks also insisted that Liverpool can still qualify for the knockout stages for the Champions League providing they beat Besiktas, Porto and Marseille in the next six weeks. "We had a disappointing loss because we got outplayed by the Turks," he said. "I think we have our work cut out, but yes we can qualify. We have to win the next three games."

Benítez "confident" his side would make the last 16.

Those sentiments were shared by Benítez, who claimed he was "confident" his side would make the last 16. "I am confident we can do it," he said. "If we create chances like we did [against Besiktas], I am sure we will take them and can win our last three games. I am pleased with the performance but we just could not take our chances. When you have 28 attempts on goal as the away side and nearly 60% of possession, that should be enough to win the match."

Liverpool's captain, Steven Gerrard, is also convinced his side can still qualify. "We were unlucky," he said. "We are pleased with how we played but disappointed with the result. It is the worst possible result. We had a mountain to climb but we have got an even bigger one to climb now. We need to win our last three games and see where that takes us."

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KOP stopper Jose Reina has admitted: Well be lucky to make it into the UEFA Cup, let alone win the Champions League again.

Liverpool flopped 2-1 to Besiktas on Wednesday and lie bottom of Group A with just one point and a solitary goal from their three games. Now Spanish keeper Reina reckons the 2005 Champions League winners have a mountain to climb to salvage even third place in the group and the consolation of a UEFA Cup spot.

The Reds host the Turks in their next Euro match on November 6. And Reina said: Its going to be hard and its going to be tough and we know that. We know we have to win all three of our remaining games but the most important one is the next one. We need three points because Besiktas are ahead of us, even in the fight for the UEFA Cup. We have to beat them at home and get ahead of them at least.

I dont know whats gone wrong. Against Besiktas we have conceded two goals from four shots on target but could only score one from 10. What can I say? If we are going to get out of this group, then first we have to beat Besiktas at home. I dont want to think we will go out. I want to think that we are still in there. We have three games ahead of us and we have to be positive.

The pilot on the Titan aircraft taking Liverpool back home greeted the beaten Reds with a rallying cry of his own. Steven Gerrard and Co had barely taken their seats after their Besiktas bombshell when the booming voice came over the intercom: Commiserations but Im sure youll live to fight another day.

Clearly Captain Martin had not been in the Inonu Stadium on Wednesday. Or, for that matter, at their previous Euro horror show a humiliating Anfield loss to Marseille. Or indeed their opener, when they enjoyed a huge slice of good fortune to escape Porto with a point. For the way the rocking Reds are playing right now, you wouldnt back them to KO a 6st weakling, let alone the European middleweights threatening to send them spinning into the European equivalent of the Carling Cup.

Porto, Besiktas and Marseille. Despite what boss Rafa Benitez tries to claim, the Reds could not have had a more welcoming group had they hand-picked the opponents themselves. Yet the way they have gone about their campaign to date, even the UEFA Cup looks beyond them.

That is the worst prospect of all for Koppites Everton still being in Europe after Christmas, while all they contemplate are domestic chores. Benitez spent the aftermath doing his best Egyptian swimmer impression a man in denial defiantly insisting they will win their remaining three fixtures and reach the knockout stages.

Given his pre-season assertions that he finally has a squad to challenge on all fronts, maybe he felt it a stance which had to be taken. The gaffer steadfastly refuses to budge from his assessment that the team played well in Istanbul and defeat was purely down to bad luck.

Three years under the Spaniard have yielded two Champions League finals one unforgettably glorious and an FA Cup success. This year, fresh from splashing out around £50million in the summer and assembling Anfields biggest squad in years, was the one in which they were finally going to prove they were genuine title challengers.

This morning those promises look about as real as Kerry Katonas chest. And even more likely to blow up in their face. The murmurings are ominous for the Anfield faithful especially when Benitez starts talking of the number of shots on target and percentage possession. The last time they heard a manager quoting stats like that, it was a certain Gerard Houllier. And we all know what happened there.

Five years ago, Houllier following their cup treble season and a second-placed finish in the Premier League insisted they were ready at last to take the final step. New arrivals in the shape of El-Hadji Diouf, Salif Diao and Bruno Cheyrou added to the optimism and a flying start that saw them unbeaten into November merely confirmed it all.

Yet after that first defeat at Middlesbrough they went another 11 games before tasting victory again and a fifth-placed finish even meant no Champions League. It was a slump from which the Frenchman never really recovered, ending with him being shown the door 12 months later.

Again, no one is suggesting Benitez is even remotely close to following suit. But the first warning signs are there. Suddenly the visit of Arsenal on Sunday is a game which could have seismic consequences . . .

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Liverpool's 1st real test this Sunday. Smile