RAFA: POINT WAS PROBABLY RIGHT

Rafa Benitez admitted both sides could have walked away with all three points after the goalless draw at Fratton Park on Saturday lunchtime.


The Spaniard made four changes from the Derby demolition, with skipper Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres consigned to the bench after featuring heavily for their countries in midweek.

The Reds threatened without their influential duo but had a Pepe Reina penalty save – as well as glaring misses from John Utaka and Sulley Muntari – to thank for a clean sheet at the other end.

Benitez said: "After an international break it is very difficult to pick the team because you don't have any time to train with the players.

"Mascherano, for example, was in Australia playing in a very important friendly!

"In the first half I thought we were the better team and controlled the game. In the second half it was very open and we both had very good chances. We could have won it, they could have won it. In my opinion we deserved at least a point.

"They had a couple of clear chances but they were from our mistakes and not from open play. I think we were better than them in the first half and were controlling the game. Our substitutes came on in the second half and helped us, it was just a pity we couldn't score.

"I'm not sure if it was a penalty for them or not, certainly for this country it looked a harsh decision. But it's okay, I'm not going to complain about that."