Benitez still up for the Cup after Reading draw

READING, England: Rafael Benitez insisted the FA Cup remained a top priority for Liverpool after his side was fortunate to scrape a 1-1 third round draw away to Reading.

Reading, who sit two points and two places above the second-tier Championship relegation zone, threatened an upset when Simon Church gave the hosts a 24th minute lead after Benitez's side failed to deal with a freekick.

Steven Gerrard's hopeful long shot rescued a draw for Liverpool at the Madejski Stadium to set up a replay, currently scheduled to take place at Anfield on Jan 12.

And Benitez admitted his team must improve if it is to complete the job at the second attempt.

"I'm relieved," said the under-pressure manager. "I think it was difficult. I think they (Reading) played really well. To play in front of the TV (cameras) and against Liverpool I think was a massive boost for them and you could see they played really well," the Spaniard said.

"You could see we were trying to do our best with a really strong team and we will play again at Anfield.

"We had two or three situations that could have been better but also they had some chances.

"So credit to them and we are still in the competition," Benitez said.

Benitez fielded Gerrard and Fernando Torres in his starting line-up for a competition that, along with the Europa League, has suddenly assumed a greater priority although the manager conceded the burden of a replay will do nothing to boost Liverpool's hopes of finishing in the top four and claiming a place in next season's Champions League.

"We know that we have two clear chances to win trophies - the Europa League and the FA Cup - so we will try to our best in both and keep improving in the League," said Benitez, whose side is four points adrift of English football's leading quartet.

"I am disappointed (with the result) because we didn't want to play more games. But it was a tough, tough game so we needed to work hard."

Benitez said he is looking at bringing in players to strengthen his squad during the January transfer window but refused to be drawn on whether he had made a move for Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

AFP

(China Daily 01/04/2010 page22)