Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva has explained that Rafa Benitez read the riot act to his players during half-time of their FA Cup clash with Havant and Waterlooville on Saturday, and that it worked.
The Reds went in at the break being held 2-2 by the Conference South side at Anfield, with the home fans and manager hardly believing what they were seeing.
The Premiership giants eventually fought their way to a 5-2 victory, but all the plaudits went to the non-league side.
Brazilian midfielder Lucas began the Reds fight back in the first half with a well taken equaliser. But the 2006 signing from Gremio revealed that Rafa Benitez gave the players a rocket at the interval back in the dressing room.
"Rafa said a lot of hard things to us at half-time and told us clearly that we had to improve, because we had conceded goals too easily" Lucas told the Daily Mirror.
"We knew we had to win the game because we are in the top division and they are five divisions below us. We didn't play well enough in the first half.
"The manager told us that. He told us some hard words to make us understand we had to improve and not make any more mistakes.
"We know the first half wasn't good enough, but at least in the second we played much better and we won, so now we must prepare for the next one."
That next test is another home tie in the fifth round against Barnsley.
The Reds went in at the break being held 2-2 by the Conference South side at Anfield, with the home fans and manager hardly believing what they were seeing.
The Premiership giants eventually fought their way to a 5-2 victory, but all the plaudits went to the non-league side.
Brazilian midfielder Lucas began the Reds fight back in the first half with a well taken equaliser. But the 2006 signing from Gremio revealed that Rafa Benitez gave the players a rocket at the interval back in the dressing room.
"Rafa said a lot of hard things to us at half-time and told us clearly that we had to improve, because we had conceded goals too easily" Lucas told the Daily Mirror.
"We knew we had to win the game because we are in the top division and they are five divisions below us. We didn't play well enough in the first half.
"The manager told us that. He told us some hard words to make us understand we had to improve and not make any more mistakes.
"We know the first half wasn't good enough, but at least in the second we played much better and we won, so now we must prepare for the next one."
That next test is another home tie in the fifth round against Barnsley.
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