No Mourinho mind games for me, says Benitez

AFP - 29 April 2007 04:11

Portsmouth´s Gary O´Neil(L) attempts to pass Liverpools´ Sami Hyypia during a Premiership match at Fratton Park Stadium, Portsmouth. Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez´s decision to leave out captain Steven Gerrard backfired as the Champions League hopefuls slumped to their first league defeat in seven weeks, losing 2-1 away at Portsmouth.

PORTSMOUTH, England (AFP) - Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is refusing to be drawn into mind games with Jose Mourinho ahead of Liverpool's crunch Champion's League semi-final encounter with Chelsea.

Mourinho has indicated that Portuguese defender Ricardo Carvalho will not be able to play at Anfield on Tuesday after picking up a knee injury in Saturday's 2-2 draw against Bolton.

Benitez himself rested several key players as his side lost 2-1 at UEFA Cup chasing Portsmouth, but is in no mood to start taking Mourinho's words on injuries as gospel.

Benitez said: "Jose was saying similar things before the game last Wednesday. I will wait until I see their team sheet before I start hearing who is injured.

"I rested players for this game, not because we did not want to win the game but because sometimes you cannot play a full team."

Benitez gave his starting eleven a comprehensive overhaul for the trip to Fratton Park in preparation for their bid to reach a second Champion's League final in three seasons

Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, John Arne Riise, Javier Mascherano, Pepe Reina and Daniel Agger were all given the day off while Dirk Kuyt was named amongst the substitutes.

Benitez handed a debut to young Argentine full-back Emiliano Insua, Gabriel Paletta was given a first Premiership start in almost five months and Jerzy Dudek was handed a rare place in goal.

For the first 45 minutes the Reds failed to look like a side sitting comfortably in third place in the Premiership and on the verge of earning a trip to Athens on May 23.

Portsmouth, desperate to claim European qualification for the first time in their 109-year history, were quickest out of the blocks and took an early lead through Zimbabwean Benjani Mwaruwari.

A long clearance was pumped up the field by David James and Liverpool's patchwork defence was left fully exposed as both Paletta and Sami Hyypia allowed Benjani to pounce on the bouncing ball and beat Dudek.

Things were soon to get worse for Benitez's side as Niko Kranjcar produced a moment of real quality to double Portsmouth's lead.

Former Arsenal defender Lauren put the Croatian on his way with a beautiful cross field pass for Kranjcar to control with his chest before slotting past Dudek with precision.

Liverpool did claw one back in the second half with a Hyypia header from veteran Robbie Fowler's corner, but the scale of the changes Benitez had made before the game meant they could never find a real rhythm to trouble Pompey.

Benitez added: "We were still strong. Our two strikers were very good in the second half and it was difficult for their defenders.

"From our point of view we made some stupid mistakes for their goals. In the first half we had control and two chances on the counter attack. I think we deserved more."

Portsmouth were well worth their victory and stand just two games away from a maiden appearance in European competitions.

The south coast side stand in seventh place, the last of the UEFA Cup spots, but with a trip to Everton and the visit of Arsenal to come, boss Harry Redknapp insists it will be a tall order.

"We have kept our season going, Arsenal come here on the last day of the season and it will be tough," said Redknapp.

"Tottenham with the squad they have should be sitting comfortably in fifth or sixth. They have got a game in hand but we will keep going.

"Rafa did us a favour by leaving out some of his strikers but you can understand that. Tuesday is a big game and most managers would have done the same.

"They still had people like Craig Bellamy and Xabi Alonso who are class players. Alonso probably cost more than my whole team put together."