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Benitez treats Gerrard mean to keep him keen
LIVERPOOL, England (AFP) - If Steven Gerrard leads Liverpool into the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday he shouldn't expect any thanks from Rafa Benitez.
Liverpool manager Benitez has revealed he keeps Gerrard on his toes by offering constructive criticism rather than praise, even when his captain has produced a match-winning display.
Gerrard's combination of perspiration and inspiration has been crucial in both of Liverpool's major successes under Benitez. The England international was heroic in the 2005 Champions League final against AC Milan and last year's FA Cup triumph over West Ham.
He was equally influential in last week's 3-0 Champions League quarter-final first leg victory over PSV, scoring the opening goal with a powerful header to put Liverpool on course for a last four showdown with Chelsea or Valencia.
The talismanic midfielder is certain to be at the heart of the action when PSV visit Anfield for the return leg on Wednesday.
But, even though Gerrard is known to be slightly put-out by Benitez's tough-love approach to man-management, the Spaniard has no intention of changing his ways.
"I know he wishes I would say well done," Benitez told Liverpool's website. "But I like to put him under pressure. If you think the players can give something more you have to push them sometimes.
"I know he will be disappointed at times but the best thing anyone has ever said about me has come from my former players.
"They talk about me eight or 10 years afterwards. They say: 'I learned this from him'. I think my way is the right way to make Steven an even better player.
"I know he is a fantastic player and a nice person but he can do even better. I think he's more mature now.
"If I play him on the right, he plays well. If I play him in the middle, he plays well and if I play him on the left, he will probably play well.
"Whatever you ask him to do, you will get 100 per cent. If he needs to play in goal he will do it.
"And there is more to come from him. He can be an even better player. Every year you will see him learn more."
Liverpool are hitting their stride at just the right time. Victory in the Netherlands was sandwiched between Premiership wins over Arsenal and Reading that underlined the Reds' current ruthless streak.
It would take a truely awful performance to allow Ronald Koeman's team to ovehaul the first leg deficit, but Benitez knows from personal experience that ruling out a fightback could be fatal.
"We know there have been comebacks from 3-0 down in the Champions League, we did it in Istanbul," Benitez said.
"These kind of games are difficult. Sometimes teams say 'OK, the job is done'. But we have to be careful. We know if they score an early goal they will push forward and we could have problems.
"We must approach the game the same as we did against Barcelona in the last round and try to win. We do not go into the game thinking a draw will be enough. We need to go for a win."
While Benitez is cautious, the Dutch league leaders all but conceded defeat in the aftermath of the chastening loss at the Philips Stadium.
Their morale will hardly have been helped by a 2-1 defeat at NEC Nijmegen on Saturday that left PSV facing a tense struggle to retain their title.
Koeman has also not been helped by his team's lengthy injury list. Ivory Coast striker Arouna Kone is back after missing the first leg, but Michael Reiziger, Alex and Edison Mendez are all likely to miss out.
PSV captain Phillip Cocu admitted those injuries mean the tie is all but over. "We have lost all our aspirations of reaching the semis," he said. "In the Netherlands, squads are smaller compared to those of Liverpool or Arsenal."
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