Hard work still to come: Benitez
The Reds moved top of Group G following Chelsea’s defeat in Seville by Real Betis but that result means the Spanish side will travel to Anfield on November 23 still in with an outside chance of qualifying themselves.
Betis will then have a final home game against whipping boys Anderlecht while Liverpool may have to go to Stamford Bridge on December 6 still needing something from the match.
Afterwards, Benitez felt that his team played good football and deserved their victory but said there is still a lot of hard work to be done when Real Betis come to Anfield.
Benitez said: “I am delighted that we played well and scored three good goals. It is three more points and now we have a lot of confidence.
“We haven’t qualified yet though and I know Betis will be dangerous opponents but we will try to beat them and win the game.”
The Reds manager felt it was important for Fernando Morientes to score but said there was an injury scare for the Spanish striker who felt some pain in his knee.
Benitez said: “It was important for Morientes to score and it was good for us. Unfortunately Fernando had to come off because he felt pain in his knee so we will have to wait and see how he is on Thursday.”
Anderlecht’s night of misery was compounded by a late red card for substitute Nenad Jestrovic, believed to be for racial abuse of Mohamed Sissoko.
Crouch was involved from the start, heading a Steve Finnan cross wide and then setting up Luis Garcia for a dipping drive which was held by Silvio Proto.
Penned back for long spells, Anderlecht could still produce slick passing of their own and one fine example was brought to an end by a Sissoko trip on Christian Wilhelmsson which earned a booking for the Mali international.
The supply line of crosses from Finnan had been consistent and when the Irish fullback fired in another from the right, Morientes met it six yards out with a first time effort which Proto blocked.
But Morientes opened the scoring on 34 minutes when he chested down a Gerrard through ball before firing a drive in off the far post.
It was the Spaniard’s first Anfield goal of the season and only his sixth goal in 28 matches for the club.
Liverpool started the second period intent on finishing the contest as quickly as possible. Morientes had a shot deflected wide and Sissoko saw his 12-yard effort also blocked.
Jamie Carragher then saw an unopposed header from the corner clutched gratefully by Proto but Liverpool’s system was disrupted when Morientes was replaced on 52 minutes by Bolo Zenden, the goalscorer clearly carrying an injury.
However, on 61 minutes Finnan again provided the ammunition and Garcia, 15 yards out and at a difficult angle, flicked a perfect header on the run into the far corner for Liverpool’s second.
Anderlecht responded with a battling run down the left and along the byline by Wilhelmsson, before his shot was blocked on the near post by Jose Reina.
But Liverpool were flying now and Sissoko and Alonso both went close in a sustained period of attacking.
Liverpool sent on Cisse for Crouch on 71 minutes before referee Nielsen had his famous red card out again. The official who has sent off David Beckham and Wayne Rooney on past occasions this time dispatched Serbian Jestrovic on 75 minutes.
The substitute was involved in an exchange of words with Sissoko and Nielsen was clearly not happy with what he heard, instantly brandishing the card.
A minute from time Cisse completed the victory when he ran onto a Kewell pass before coolly slipping the ball past Proto for his eighth Champions League goal in 11 games this season.
: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Gerrard (Kewell 78), Alonso, Sissoko, Luis Garcia, Morientes (Zenden 52), Crouch (Cisse 72).
: Proto, Zewlakow, Juhasz, Tihinen, Wilhelmsson, Vanderhaeghe (Pujol 70), Deman, Goor, Akin (Jestrovic 70), Zetterberg, Mpenza (Baseggio 82).
: Kim Milton Nielsen (Denmark).
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