Manager Rafael Benitez has warned Liverpool's rivals for Champions
League qualification that his side will only get better in the
second half of the season.
A 2-0 victory over current fourth-placed side Tottenham
lifted the Reds to within one point of their opponents.
The race for the final Champions League spot looks like being
between Spurs, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester City but
Benitez is just pleased to be back in it after a couple of
difficult months.
"It was important for everyone here because we had to reduce
the gap and stay in the race," said the Spaniard.
"I am really pleased with the attitude of the players, we
showed character.
"Normally the last five years we do better in the second half
of the league.
"Everyone knows Liverpool are a good team and it was just a
question of time to start winning games and showing our quality.
"Also now some of them (Liverpool's opponents) know the race
will be with four teams."
Benitez praised Kuyt for scoring goals at either end of the
match, firing home in the sixth minute from the edge of the area
and then converting a twice-taken penalty in second-half injury
time.
"Dirk works very hard, he could maybe have scored four goals
today," said the Liverpool boss.
"Always his commitment is 100% so we are really pleased for
him too.
"It was important for us to score early. We were playing well
but in the first half we were not in control, although we had the
better chances.
"The second half was more clear. After the first goal they
(Tottenham) had to go forward and left spaces, which was good for
us."
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp acknowledged his side were
out-fought by Liverpool but admitted he was baffled by a decision
which ruled out a goal for Jermain Defoe early in the second half.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos dithered on the ball before surprising
Jose Reina with a short back-pass and Defoe dispossessed the keeper
before rolling the ball into an open net.
However, referee Howard Webb's whistle had already gone for
an infringement - although no-one was quite sure whether it was for
offside or a foul.
"I'll probably sit up at home tonight reading the rule book
for a couple of hours and see what the rules actually are," said
the Spurs boss.
"The referee nor the linesman seemed to know - they probably
phoned a friend.
"Is he active, is it second phase; there are so many rules
now. But if it was offside it was offside.
"I haven't really looked at it too much but it makes no
difference now."
Redknapp felt his side had squandered an opportunity to put
down a marker for fourth place and admitted the race was wide open.
"I came here thinking we could win tonight so I was
disappointed really. We missed a chance," he added.
"We needed to get off to a decent start to get the crowd
quiet but they scored an early goal.
"To be fair to Liverpool they worked really hard and we found
it hard to get our game going.
"It (the race for top four) is open. Liverpool, Manchester
City, Aston Villa, Tottenham - it is a toss-up.
"We've been on a good run but just because we've lost one
game it doesn't mean we're out of it.
"It is all to play for still."
