IF Liverpool’s Champions League opponents are to be taken at face value, then the fates are suggesting a sixth European crown is on its way to Anfield.
After Standard Liege coach László Bölöni had berated his side’s supposed ill luck in their qualifying tie last month, on Tuesday night it was the turn of Marseille striker Mamadou Niang.
“Liverpool did not deserve to take three points,” said Niang after Rafael Benitez’s side left France with a 2-1 win. “If you look at the game it should have been a draw.
“It is true that Liverpool began with good rhythm and played well but they had many pieces of luck. We dominated the second half but their goalkeeper’s performance stopped us scoring again.”
Sour grapes? Perhaps. But while luck has admittedly played its part, there’s been nothing lucky in the main reason for the Reds’ unbeaten start to their European campaign.
Step forward Pepe Reina. The goalkeeper is often under-appreciated by those outside Merseyside who are happy to dismiss the Spaniard as little more than a penalty-save expert.
His team-mates, though, are more aware of the keeper’s value, which was on display with a string of fine stops as Marseille sought a second-half equaliser on Tuesday.
Steven Gerrard may have scored twice at the Stade Velodrome, but was quick to direct plaudits elsewhere.
“I’m sure people will mention the goals on my behalf, but for me the real heroes were the back four and especially Pepe,” says the skipper. “He made an absolutely superb save right at the end from Niang.
“We all have him down as the best keeper in the Premier League and one of the best in Europe, certainly. He’s immense. It’s at moments like that when you really need him.
“There are certain games when it’s been very quiet for the goalkeeper, but then you need him to come out and make a match-winning world class save.
“But that’s what he is capable of. His all-round game is superb and hopefully we can keep him for a long, long time because he is a big player for us.
“To progress in this competition you need to be strong defensively and you need your goalkeeper to be there – and we know we can certainly rely on ours. He is superb for us.”
For his part, Reina was quick to share the praise with his skipper while accepting Marseille’s speedy attackers had caused Liverpool consternation in defence.
“It was down to Stevie as well because he managed the pressure to take the penalty twice,” he says. “But, yes, Marseille had to go forward and it was difficult in the last 15 minutes. We were under a lot of pressure.
“It’s never easy against skilled players like they have between the lines and ability. It’s not always easy. To manage this kind of situation is very difficult and we’ve done very well, at least until the last 15 minutes.”
Liverpool had already come from behind to defeat Middlesbrough and Manchester United this season before repeating the trick on Tuesday for a winning start in Group D.
And Reina reckons it’s an example of the spirit that has been forged in players that refuse to be beaten.
“We talk about how we have been reacting to going behind,” says the goalkeeper. “There’s a lot of spirit and that's important.
“It’s really important to have that winning mentality and keep winning difficult games. It’s positive when you are thinking only about winning. We can’t think of anything but winning.
“It really helps to win a game like we did against United. It gives you belief and you don’t just lose that. You keep it with you.
“You keep every win with you and you build on it. You go out there knowing that you can do things. The atmosphere in the dressing room is special. We are in business of having to win.”
Gerrard’s goals and Reina’s saves ensured Liverpool didn’t have to wait until their fourth group game to register their first win, as happened last season.
PSV Eindhoven, thrashed 3-0 at home by Atletico Madrid in Group D’s other game on Tuesday, visit Anfield on Wednesday week where a win would put Benitez’s side in a strong position to progress to the knockout stages for a fifth successive season.
“We didn’t have the best start last season in the group, obviously we were under pressure after three results and we were really feeling that,” says Reina. “As soon as we get qualified we’ll get better. It makes us feel more relaxed when we’re winning and confident. That’s how we’re feeling at the moment.”
Liverpool would have been spared their late fright in France had Ryan Babel converted one of two late chances.
Babel says: “If we had a little bit more luck we could have scored more goals. I obviously had a couple of chances but unfortunately I didn’t hit the back of the net.
“I think Pepe saved us at the end. We were very lucky that they didn’t score the equaliser. We can be satisfied. I think you can see that goalkeepers are very important.”
After Standard Liege coach László Bölöni had berated his side’s supposed ill luck in their qualifying tie last month, on Tuesday night it was the turn of Marseille striker Mamadou Niang.
“Liverpool did not deserve to take three points,” said Niang after Rafael Benitez’s side left France with a 2-1 win. “If you look at the game it should have been a draw.
“It is true that Liverpool began with good rhythm and played well but they had many pieces of luck. We dominated the second half but their goalkeeper’s performance stopped us scoring again.”
Sour grapes? Perhaps. But while luck has admittedly played its part, there’s been nothing lucky in the main reason for the Reds’ unbeaten start to their European campaign.
Step forward Pepe Reina. The goalkeeper is often under-appreciated by those outside Merseyside who are happy to dismiss the Spaniard as little more than a penalty-save expert.
His team-mates, though, are more aware of the keeper’s value, which was on display with a string of fine stops as Marseille sought a second-half equaliser on Tuesday.
Steven Gerrard may have scored twice at the Stade Velodrome, but was quick to direct plaudits elsewhere.
“I’m sure people will mention the goals on my behalf, but for me the real heroes were the back four and especially Pepe,” says the skipper. “He made an absolutely superb save right at the end from Niang.
“We all have him down as the best keeper in the Premier League and one of the best in Europe, certainly. He’s immense. It’s at moments like that when you really need him.
“There are certain games when it’s been very quiet for the goalkeeper, but then you need him to come out and make a match-winning world class save.
“But that’s what he is capable of. His all-round game is superb and hopefully we can keep him for a long, long time because he is a big player for us.
“To progress in this competition you need to be strong defensively and you need your goalkeeper to be there – and we know we can certainly rely on ours. He is superb for us.”
For his part, Reina was quick to share the praise with his skipper while accepting Marseille’s speedy attackers had caused Liverpool consternation in defence.
“It was down to Stevie as well because he managed the pressure to take the penalty twice,” he says. “But, yes, Marseille had to go forward and it was difficult in the last 15 minutes. We were under a lot of pressure.
“It’s never easy against skilled players like they have between the lines and ability. It’s not always easy. To manage this kind of situation is very difficult and we’ve done very well, at least until the last 15 minutes.”
Liverpool had already come from behind to defeat Middlesbrough and Manchester United this season before repeating the trick on Tuesday for a winning start in Group D.
And Reina reckons it’s an example of the spirit that has been forged in players that refuse to be beaten.
“We talk about how we have been reacting to going behind,” says the goalkeeper. “There’s a lot of spirit and that's important.
“It’s really important to have that winning mentality and keep winning difficult games. It’s positive when you are thinking only about winning. We can’t think of anything but winning.
“It really helps to win a game like we did against United. It gives you belief and you don’t just lose that. You keep it with you.
“You keep every win with you and you build on it. You go out there knowing that you can do things. The atmosphere in the dressing room is special. We are in business of having to win.”
Gerrard’s goals and Reina’s saves ensured Liverpool didn’t have to wait until their fourth group game to register their first win, as happened last season.
PSV Eindhoven, thrashed 3-0 at home by Atletico Madrid in Group D’s other game on Tuesday, visit Anfield on Wednesday week where a win would put Benitez’s side in a strong position to progress to the knockout stages for a fifth successive season.
“We didn’t have the best start last season in the group, obviously we were under pressure after three results and we were really feeling that,” says Reina. “As soon as we get qualified we’ll get better. It makes us feel more relaxed when we’re winning and confident. That’s how we’re feeling at the moment.”
Liverpool would have been spared their late fright in France had Ryan Babel converted one of two late chances.
Babel says: “If we had a little bit more luck we could have scored more goals. I obviously had a couple of chances but unfortunately I didn’t hit the back of the net.
“I think Pepe saved us at the end. We were very lucky that they didn’t score the equaliser. We can be satisfied. I think you can see that goalkeepers are very important.”
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