Benitez takes heart from Liverpool display

STOKE-ON-TRENT, England: Rafael Benitez has insisted Liverpool can recover from their mid-season crisis, despite suffering another setback in a frustrating draw at Stoke.

The under-pressure Reds boss was infuriated by referee Lee Mason's failure to award what he claimed were two certain penalties in the 1-1 draw at the Britannia Stadium.

But he insisted the performance of his injury-ravaged squad represented a positive reaction after their FA Cup defeat to Championship strugglers Reading.

A last-minute equalizer from Robert Huth earned Stoke their point after Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos had given Liverpool the lead early in the second half after Thomas Sorenson fumbled a Fabio Aurelio freekick.

The match might have evolved differently if Mason had not failed to award what television replays indicated was a clear penalty for Danny Higginbotham's foul on Lucas Leiva in the first half, the official opting instead to book the Brazilian midfielder for diving.

Benitez (pictured) felt a second foul on Lucas by Higginbotham late in the game, seconds before Dirk Kuyt hit the post with a header, should also have resulted in a penalty.

But he nevertheless maintained that Liverpool will head into Wednesday night's pivotal Premier League game with Tottenham, one of their direct rivals for a top-four finish and a place in next season's Champions League, with renewed optimism.

He said: "We should have had two penalties, they were very clear to me.

"For me they were both penalties and it was the wrong decision. We have to be very disappointed, we can see the two incidents on the replays 100 times and you would still have the same opinion as everyone in the stadium."

(China Daily 01/18/2010 page24)