Liverpool Daily Post report

ONE down, two to go. Liverpool took an emphatic first step towards Champions League redemption with a record-breaking victory against Besiktas last night.

Rafael Benitez’s side followed the words of Steven Gerrard to the letter by going for the jugular and cutting loose in spectacular fashion to post the biggest win in the competition’s history.

The frustrations of their European campaign to date were taken out on the Turkish side as the Anfield outfit rattled eight goals past the disbelieving visitors.

Not a bad way for Benitez to celebrate his 50th game in charge at Liverpool in this tournament.

But the Spaniard’s continued impassive response as the goals flew in demonstrated the collective belief that his team shouldn’t be in this predicament in the first place.

Liverpool’s previous biggest win in the Champions League proper was the 5-0 thumping of Spartak Moscow in 2002. Of course, that season represented the only time the Anfield team have previously failed to progress beyond the group stage of the competition.

And as much of a boost for morale this victory will provide, Liverpool are aware that both Porto and Marseille must still be beaten to win through to the knockout stages.

Indeed, the ease at which they swatted aside Besiktas only served to underline how damaging their 2-1 reverse in Istanbul a fortnight ago may yet ultimately prove.

That defeat had prompted questions about Benitez’s team selection and whether Liverpool were capable of competing for any honours this season. The only debate last night was how many goals the home team would score, netting twice in the first half before letting loose after the break.

The supporters who had been screaming “attack, attack, attack” in despair at the showing for large parts of the goalless draw at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday evening were sounding the same chant in delight.

Besiktas were admittedly awful, but Liverpool made them that way. Benitez’s side had 28 shots on goal in Istanbul and scored just once; last night they had 30 shots and scored eight.

Peter Crouch bookended the performance – sending a reminder to his manager in the process – while Yossi Benayoun rattled a hat-trick. Gerrard got in on the act and substitute Ryan Babel netted a late brace.

Now Liverpool need to transfer that ruthlessness into their Premier League performances and begin turning domestic draws into wins.

Star performer last night was Benayoun. The Israeli was bought as a replacement for Luis Garcia, and has seemingly inherited the departed Spaniard’s happy knack of producing in the Champions League, scoring three goals and having a hand in two others.

With the fit-again Fernando Torres loitering with intent on the bench, Crouch made the most of only his seventh start of the season following his positive impact as a substitute at Ewood Park.

The striker also caused Besiktas problems during his late cameo in Istanbul, and his sheer presence last night was too much for an increasingly disillusioned centre-back pairing of Ibrahim Uzulmez and Lamine Diatta. It was a compelling argument for Benitez to now make greater use of Crouch.

For their part, Besiktas barely threatened a Liverpool defence in which Sami Hyypia was making the 100th European appearance of his career.

Benitez had made four changes from the team that were held at Blackburn, Crouch coming in to partner Andriy Voronin up front while Alvaro Arbeloa and Fabio Aurelio filled the full-back positions.

And Crouch didn’t waste any time in putting Liverpool ahead in the 19th minute.

Voronin cut in from the left in search of Crouch, only for Edouard Cisse to take the ball off the striker’s feet with a sliding challenge.

However, the tackle inadvertently played Crouch in on goal and, after holding off Uzulmez, the Liverpool man stroked home at the second attempt after Besiktas goalkeeper Hakan Arikan’s initial parry.

Benitez’s side had threatened even before going ahead, Voronin dragging Crouch’s knockdown wide, Crouch off target from a John Arne Riise cross and Benayoun hitting the outside of a post after good work from Javier Mascherano and Arbeloa.

Spurred by his strike, Crouch flashed an ambitious volley across the face and Riise’s header was cleared off the line by Uzulmez from a corner by the impressive Aurelio.

The lead was eventually doubled on 32 minutes when Riise’s long throw down the left found Voronin, who cut inside and waited for reinforcements before picking out Benayoun at the far post, the Israeli taking one touch to control possession before lashing a volley beyond Arikan for Liverpool’s 500th goal in European competition.

Television replays suggested the initial throw-in should have been awarded to Besiktas. But given the fortunate nature of their opener a fortnight ago, the visitors couldn’t quibble about a lack of luck.

Crouch was denied by a fine block from Koray Avci as Liverpool ended the half in total control, a grip that was tightened eight minutes after the interval.

Again Voronin and Riise were instrumental down the left, the Ukrainian feeding his Norwegian team-mate to hit a trademark rasping left-foot shot that Arikan beat out straight to Benayoun, who tapped home.

And the Israeli capitalised on another keeper error three minutes later to complete his hat-trick after Arikan had feebly spilled Gerrard’s low free-kick.

Besiktas substitute Ali Tandogan was lucky to escape with a clear handball shortly afterwards as the visitors lost heart, Arikan redeeming himself slightly with saves in quick succession to deny Gerrard and substitute Babel.

Gerrard, though, wasn’t to be denied his goal which arrived in magnificent fashion on 69 minutes. Racing on to a clever Mascherano pass on the halfway line, the skipper burst forward, exchanged passes with Voronin and lashed a shot that deflected off Diatta past Arikan.

Benayoun turned provider in the 78th minute, taking a pass from Lucas and rolling the ball across the area for Babel to flick nonchalantly home off the back of his foot.

Babel’s second goal three minutes later was somewhat less intended, Toraman belting his clearance against the Dutchman with the ball looping over Arikan, who by now, like most of the Besiktas team, had given up.

Babel was then a crossbar’s width away from a quickfire treble after heading Harry Kewell’s cross and, with a minute remaining, Benayoun found Crouch to head home his second and Liverpool’s eighth.

Referee Markus Merk put Besiktas out of their misery by deciding not to add on any injury time.

But by then, Liverpool had ensured they will have extra time to extend their Champions League campaign.

LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): Reina; Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyypia, Aurelio ( Babel 63); Benayoun, Gerrard (Lucas 72), Mascherano, Riise; Voronin (Kewell 72), Crouch. Subs: Martin, Finnan, Kuyt, Torres.

BESIKTAS (4-2-3-1): Arikan; Kurtulus (Higuain 62), Diatta, Toraman, Uzulmez; Avci, Cisse; Ozkan (Tandogan 46), Delgado, Sedef (Ricardinho 78); Bobo. Subs: Recber, Yozgatli, Kas, Karadeniz.
BOOKING: Ozkan (unsporting behaviour).

REFEREE: Markus Merk (Germany).

ATT: 41,143.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Yossi Benayoun. Several players could have claimed the award, but the hat-trick hero deserves the nod.

Copyright - Liverpool Daily Post

Post match analysis

ONE down, two to go. Liverpool took an emphatic first step towards Champions League redemption with a record-breaking victory against Besiktas last night.

Rafael Benitez’s side followed the words of Steven Gerrard to the letter by going for the jugular and cutting loose in spectacular fashion to post the biggest win in the competition’s history.

The frustrations of their European campaign to date were taken out on the Turkish side as the Anfield outfit rattled eight goals past the disbelieving visitors.

Not a bad way for Benitez to celebrate his 50th game in charge at Liverpool in this tournament.

But the Spaniard’s continued impassive response as the goals flew in demonstrated the collective belief that his team shouldn’t be in this predicament in the first place.

Liverpool’s previous biggest win in the Champions League proper was the 5-0 thumping of Spartak Moscow in 2002. Of course, that season represented the only time the Anfield team have previously failed to progress beyond the group stage of the competition.

And as much of a boost for morale this victory will provide, Liverpool are aware that both Porto and Marseille must still be beaten to win through to the knockout stages.

Indeed, the ease at which they swatted aside Besiktas only served to underline how damaging their 2-1 reverse in Istanbul a fortnight ago may yet ultimately prove.

That defeat had prompted questions about Benitez’s team selection and whether Liverpool were capable of competing for any honours this season. The only debate last night was how many goals the home team would score, netting twice in the first half before letting loose after the break.

The supporters who had been screaming “attack, attack, attack” in despair at the showing for large parts of the goalless draw at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday evening were sounding the same chant in delight.

Besiktas were admittedly awful, but Liverpool made them that way. Benitez’s side had 28 shots on goal in Istanbul and scored just once; last night they had 30 shots and scored eight.

Peter Crouch bookended the performance – sending a reminder to his manager in the process – while Yossi Benayoun rattled a hat-trick. Gerrard got in on the act and substitute Ryan Babel netted a late brace.

Now Liverpool need to transfer that ruthlessness into their Premier League performances and begin turning domestic draws into wins.

Star performer last night was Benayoun. The Israeli was bought as a replacement for Luis Garcia, and has seemingly inherited the departed Spaniard’s happy knack of producing in the Champions League, scoring three goals and having a hand in two others.

With the fit-again Fernando Torres loitering with intent on the bench, Crouch made the most of only his seventh start of the season following his positive impact as a substitute at Ewood Park.

The striker also caused Besiktas problems during his late cameo in Istanbul, and his sheer presence last night was too much for an increasingly disillusioned centre-back pairing of Ibrahim Uzulmez and Lamine Diatta. It was a compelling argument for Benitez to now make greater use of Crouch.

For their part, Besiktas barely threatened a Liverpool defence in which Sami Hyypia was making the 100th European appearance of his career.

Benitez had made four changes from the team that were held at Blackburn, Crouch coming in to partner Andriy Voronin up front while Alvaro Arbeloa and Fabio Aurelio filled the full-back positions.

And Crouch didn’t waste any time in putting Liverpool ahead in the 19th minute.

Voronin cut in from the left in search of Crouch, only for Edouard Cisse to take the ball off the striker’s feet with a sliding challenge.

However, the tackle inadvertently played Crouch in on goal and, after holding off Uzulmez, the Liverpool man stroked home at the second attempt after Besiktas goalkeeper Hakan Arikan’s initial parry.

Benitez’s side had threatened even before going ahead, Voronin dragging Crouch’s knockdown wide, Crouch off target from a John Arne Riise cross and Benayoun hitting the outside of a post after good work from Javier Mascherano and Arbeloa.

Spurred by his strike, Crouch flashed an ambitious volley across the face and Riise’s header was cleared off the line by Uzulmez from a corner by the impressive Aurelio.

The lead was eventually doubled on 32 minutes when Riise’s long throw down the left found Voronin, who cut inside and waited for reinforcements before picking out Benayoun at the far post, the Israeli taking one touch to control possession before lashing a volley beyond Arikan for Liverpool’s 500th goal in European competition.

Television replays suggested the initial throw-in should have been awarded to Besiktas. But given the fortunate nature of their opener a fortnight ago, the visitors couldn’t quibble about a lack of luck.

Crouch was denied by a fine block from Koray Avci as Liverpool ended the half in total control, a grip that was tightened eight minutes after the interval.

Again Voronin and Riise were instrumental down the left, the Ukrainian feeding his Norwegian team-mate to hit a trademark rasping left-foot shot that Arikan beat out straight to Benayoun, who tapped home.

And the Israeli capitalised on another keeper error three minutes later to complete his hat-trick after Arikan had feebly spilled Gerrard’s low free-kick.

Besiktas substitute Ali Tandogan was lucky to escape with a clear handball shortly afterwards as the visitors lost heart, Arikan redeeming himself slightly with saves in quick succession to deny Gerrard and substitute Babel.

Gerrard, though, wasn’t to be denied his goal which arrived in magnificent fashion on 69 minutes. Racing on to a clever Mascherano pass on the halfway line, the skipper burst forward, exchanged passes with Voronin and lashed a shot that deflected off Diatta past Arikan.

Benayoun turned provider in the 78th minute, taking a pass from Lucas and rolling the ball across the area for Babel to flick nonchalantly home off the back of his foot.

Babel’s second goal three minutes later was somewhat less intended, Toraman belting his clearance against the Dutchman with the ball looping over Arikan, who by now, like most of the Besiktas team, had given up.

Babel was then a crossbar’s width away from a quickfire treble after heading Harry Kewell’s cross and, with a minute remaining, Benayoun found Crouch to head home his second and Liverpool’s eighth.

Referee Markus Merk put Besiktas out of their misery by deciding not to add on any injury time.

But by then, Liverpool had ensured they will have extra time to extend their Champions League campaign.