Football - Liverpool FC: Penalty for Liverpool’s equaliser was debatable, Rafael Benitez

Nov 10 2009 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

Manager Rafael Benitez admits penalty for Liverpool’s equaliser was debatable, but insists his side deserved stroke of luck

Football - Liverpool FC: RAFAEL BENITEZ believes Liverpool deserved the fortune of the debatable penalty that salvaged a draw against Birmingham City – as Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun added to the club’s injury crisis.

Steven Gerrard marked his return by netting a 71st-minute spot-kick to earn Benitez’s side a 2-2 draw against the Midlanders at Anfield last night.

But Birmingham were furious at referee Peter Walton for the award after David Ngog appeared to hurdle the challenge of substitute Lee Carsley before falling to the turf.

Television replays showed there was no contact between the players and while Benitez sympathised with the visitors, he was grateful for a change in his team’s luck.

“It was a pity to score from a penalty that maybe wasn’t a penalty but we deserved to score more goals in the second half,” said Benitez.

“It wasn’t a penalty. But we have had a lot of situations this year against us, and this was one for us from a game where we deserved more.

“It’s important to be honest about these things. If it’s clear, then it is clear. Sometimes you have to accept it. We were attacking and attacking and deserved to win, but maybe it wasn’t a penalty. I haven’t seen the replay. I asked David and he said maybe it wasn’t a penalty. If you analyse the last few games, you can see the team is doing well, creating a lot of chances. Sometimes you cannot do any more.”

Ngog had given Liverpool a 13th-minute lead only for Birmingham to go into the break 2-1 ahead after goals against the run of play from Christian Benitez and a 30-yard stunner from Cameron Jerome. Benitez praised the character of his team for the manner in which they fought back in the second half.

“We have to be disappointed because it’s a draw at home but the performance of the team was again pretty good for me,” said Benitez. “We had plenty of possession and a lot of attempts. We showed character until the end. In the last 15 minutes I think everyone in the stadium thought we’d score the third goal. Sometimes it’s a matter of accuracy, sometimes it’s a matter of luck.

“We had a lot of chances in the first half. It was unbelievable to see us losing 2-1 at half-time after playing in that way.

“We scored a great goal and we had two or three clear chances. I cannot believe we were losing 2-1 after playing in that way. At half-time we just wanted to send the same messages, keep playing well and doing the same things.”

While Gerrard and Glen Johnson returned from groin and calf problems respectively, Fernando Torres was ruled out with Liverpool deciding not to risk the striker.

But they ended the game with Riera and Benayoun nursing injuries with Benitez revealing the pair had suffered torn hamstrings, with Daniel Agger having aggravated his back problem.

“Riera has the same problem as he had before,” said Benitez. “Sometimes the players say they are available but not 100%, and we thought Riera was okay but he wasn’t.

“Yossi was the same, he has been playing too many games in a row. I think both have torn their hamstrings.

“Agger has a problem with his back, it’s not serious but he felt it. We have two or three things.”

Of the Torres situation, Benitez explained: “Torres had no confidence in his injury and we started the treatment on his injury yesterday. He still has to work with the physios. We are not talking about an operation, we are just wanting to treat him properly. I don’t know if he will be ready for Manchester City.”