Liverpool FC 2 – Wolves 0

RAFA BENITEZ believes Steven Gerrard’s match-winning display against Wolves will prove to be the perfect boost for the Liverpool skipper.
The Reds midfielder grabbed his fifth goal of a difficult campaign with an emphatic header to put his side on course for a 2-0 victory over 10-man Wolves at Anfield on Saturday, whilst also making him the club’s highest league scorer of the decade with his 75th Premier League strike taking him above Michael Owen.
Gerrard has struggled with form and injury in recent months but Benitez is backing him to hit a purple patch ahead of Tuesday night’s vital trip to Aston Villa.
“It was a very important goal for us and for him,” Benitez said.
“To see Gerrard scoring goals and playing well means his confidence will be very high.
“A goal is a good boost for him and for us. He is someone who has scored 20, 22 or 23 goals a season so he is used to scoring goals.
“If he can score more he will have more confidence and that will be really good for the team.”

While the doom-merchants will almost certainly dwell on the five-minute period midway through the half in which Wolves had three chances to score, the rest of the game was effectively controlled by Liverpool.
However, it was only when the visitors were reduced to 10 men following the 53rd-minute dismissal of visiting left-back Stephen Ward that Benitez’s side were given the space to turn that territorial domination into clear-cut chances.
With Javier Mascherano sidelined through injury and suspension, Benitez could no longer protect Alberto Aquilani from a first Premier League start following his near-£20m arrival from Roma in the summer.
As in his previous fleeting appearances, the Italian midfielder defender appeared comfortable in possession, can clearly see a pass and showed glimpses of striking up an understanding with his teammates.
But the manner in which he faded badly during the second half, looking very much the player who has missed much of the calendar year through injury, illustrated why Benitez has been so cautious to ease him into the fray.
Needs must, however, and Aquilani can expect a crash-course in English football in the coming weeks, and may even been risked for Tuesday’s pivotal visit to fellow top-four aspirants Aston Villa.

The visitors made life difficult for Liverpool and, midway through the first half, had a purple patch in which Sylvan Ebanks-Blake turned and shot at Pepe Reina, Nenad Milijas solicited a better save from the goalkeeper with a 20-yard free-kick and, from the resultant corner, Kevin Doyle contrived to head over from four yards.
But Liverpool were ultimately deserving of victory, although admittedly the turning point was Ward’s red card. The defender, having only minutes earlier been cautioned for a tug on Yossi Benayoun, brought down Lucas Leiva. Marriner reached for his pocket, but the Wolves players, mindful of what was coming, encouraged the referee to book Christophe Berra instead.
Liverpool were outraged and their protestations, led by Reina who had sprinted the full length of the pitch to make his point known, eventually persuaded the officials to reach the correct decision
The hosts needed only nine minutes to take advantage, Emiliano Insua – atoning for a poor performance at Portsmouth with his best display for some time – delivering a teasing cross from the left that Gerrard met above Milijas to head powerfully in.
Eight minutes later the game was over, another cross from the left flank, this time by Fabio Aurelio, eventually finding its way to Benayoun at the far post, who cut inside man-mountain substitute George Elokobi before firing in off Karl Henry’s knee.
Benayoun almost netted another later on while the closing stages were enlivened by a brief Premier League debut for the eye-catching Dani Pacheco.
A win, though, is a win. And with a clean sheet and a welcome confidence boost for their skipper, Liverpool will at least believe a corner has been turned.