Benitez promises big improvement

Benfica 1 Lverpool 0

And he also defended the decision not to risk captain Steven Gerrard, who was suffering from a minor leg injury.

Gerrard only came on for the final 12 minutes but Benfica scored with six minutes to go, leaving Liverpool with a massive task to stay in the competition.

“I would rather have Steven available for the next month rather than just 80 minutes of this match,” said Benitez, who has another injury worry as Mohamed Sissoko stayed in a Lisbon hospital overnight with a “serious eye injury”.

The Mali international received a kick to the head from Beto in the first half and was carried off on a stretcher after several minutes’ treatment, to be replaced by Dietmar Hamann.

The Liverpool boss also cast doubt over the free-kick which saw Benfica score their winner through defender Anderson Luisao.

“We have seen the video and I do not think it was a free-kick,” Benitez added.

“It was disappointing to concede a free-kick in that position so late in the game. We had discussed how dangerous they were from that particular set-piece and we ended up letting them score from it.

“But I have confidence that we can play much better at Anfield. We need to score one quickly and with our fans behind us I believe we can go on to win the game and the tie.”

Benitez added: “I was happy with the effort of my players but maybe we could have attacked more.

“But it is hard for us after the amount of games we have played this season to perform at a high tempo all the time.”

Liverpool captain Jamie Carragher was confident the side would come back at Anfield.

“They took the only chance they had. We have had a few set-pieces and we are disappointed but it is still only half-time [in the tie],” Carragher said.

“We had a lot of possession and we need to hurt teams more but we will be okay.”

Benfica boss Ronald Koeman was satisfied with his side’s performance.

“It was not a fantastic game but it was a fantastic occasion for Benfica,” he said.

“We did not start well but we attacked more in the second half and created more.

“We needed only one goal and we deserved what we got. Liverpool defended very well and it was not easy to create anything.

“The midfield players had a lot of problems creating chances against such good defence.

“They will attack more at Anfield but their way of play is always similar. In the second leg Steven Gerrard will play from the start.

“But we know that if we score one, they must score three. We are more favourites now, Liverpool were but we are now favourites.

“It was their first defeat in the Champions League proper [this season] and Liverpool have played Chelsea twice and not lost.

“But we have now beaten them as well as Manchester United, it shows we are also a good side.”

Luis Garcia was lucky to escape with just a yellow card from referee Konrad Plautz for clattering Leo after just 20 seconds.

Previously this season Liverpool had lost just one of 13 European games, and they had lost just five of their previous 41 European away matches.

The visitors looked the more likely to open the scoring without actually creating any clear cut chances and both goalkeepers were kept quiet throughout the 90 minutes.

But giant defender Luisao applied the finishing touch to Benfica’s vibrant performance with the winner six minutes from time, that means Liverpool must dig deep in a fortnight in the second leg at Anfield to stay in the competition.

BENFICA: Moretto, Alcides, Luisao, Anderson, Leo (Ricardo Rocha 87), Robert (Nelson 76), Petit, Beto (Karagounis 58), Manuel, Simao, Nuno Gomes.

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Luis Garcia, Sissoko (Hamann 35), Alonso, Kewell, Morientes (Gerrard 78), Fowler (Cisse 65).

Referee: Konrad Plautz (Austria).