Benitez salutes ‘special’ Gerrard

STEVEN GERRARD blasted his way back onto the European centre stage with the sort of performance that makes him a “special player” even for hard-to-please boss Rafael Benitez.

Two goals, one a twice-taken penalty, got Liverpool off to the perfect start to their Champions League group stage campaign in Marseille.

The 2-1 victory in the Stade Velodrome on Tuesday night saw skipper Gerrard finally shrug off the months of worry and pain he has endured from a nagging groin problem.

It has been a tough few months for the 28-year-old, who knew he had a groin problem even at the end of last season.

It flared up during the summer, disrupting his pre-season work, and forced him out of the European qualifier away to Standard Liege.

And it meant the loss of his England place when an operation was required after his cracking winner against Middlesbrough.

Then Gerrard managed just 23 minutes as a late substitute in the win over Manchester United before surviving for an hour in Marseille.

It is not how he would have wanted to start the campaign with unbeaten Liverpool, but he seems back on track now having reached 99 career goals for the club in the south of France.

Benitez explained: “The game was another example of the influence Gerrard has on our team, he is so special. To score twice like that, and with a really good first goal, when you have only just recovered from an operation shows just how important he is to us. He showed that he can change games on his own. He can improve, and he knows it, following the operation.

“But his impact was the most positive thing from the game. His first goal was amazing, a fantastic effort and it altered the course of the match.

“You may not see many such goals in 10 years it was that good.”

Benitez now knows victory in their next group D match, at home to PSV Eindhoven on October 1, will send Liverpool to Atletico Madrid three weeks later with their destiny in their own hands.

The Spaniard added: “If we can win at home against PSV it will be good for our confidence. If we win that, maybe the next match away to Madrid will be the key to the group for us.”

Winger Ryan Babel added: “It is always good to have Steven in the side because he can make things happen. He is a special player, a great help to us all having him around.’’