RAFA: WE CAN STILL QUALIFY
Rafael Benitez insists Liverpool can still qualify from Champions League Group A despite defeat in Besiktas.
The Reds boss watched his side slide to 2-1 defeat in Istanbul in front of a near-hysterical 30,000 plus Turkish crowd.
Having only drawn in Porto and lost at home to Marseille, Liverpool are now bottom of the group, but Benitez remains optimistic: "I was pleased with the performance, but we just could not take our chances.
"When you have 28 attempts on goal as the away side and nearly 60 per cent of possession, that should usually be enough to win the match.
"We were punished for one mistake in the first-half having had so many chances. Their goalkeeper was outstanding but we should have taken more of our chances.
"Obviously it is very difficult now for us to get through but I believe we still can. There are three games left and we must win all three, but we can do that."
Liverpool face Besiktas next at Anfield and then a home tie with Porto before their visit to group leaders Marseille for the final group match in December.
Benitez said: "We have to wait to see now what we must do, how the numbers add up. The fact that Porto drew with Marseille in the other group game was a help for us, it certainly improves our options."
"If we continue to play like we did in this match, with so much dominance, we have a chance.
"I do not see this as a test for me as a manager, this is football, if you keep doing the right things like we did here, we will achieve what we want."
The Reds claim the biggest victory in UEFA Champions League history.
