Chelsea will feel Liverpool FC backlash - Fabio Aurelio

LIVERPOOL’S title rivals will feel the full backlash of the Reds midweek defeat in Europe.

That’s the view of Brazilian defender Fabio Aurelio, who believes Chelsea will feel the fallout from the 2-0 reverse in Florence.

Aurelio admits the result against Fiorentina was difficult to take but says his side must not dwell on the past – and he’s desperate to make amends at Stamford Bridge in Sunday’s top of the table Premier League clash.

"We would have hoped for a better result, but we can't think about that now.

"We must think about the future," said the full-back.

"We have an important game in the Premier League against Chelsea on Sunday and we must try to make things right.

"Football is like this. You cannot think in the past, you must always look to the future. Hopefully it will be a different game and we can go there and get a result."

A wretched first-half in the Stadio Artemio Franchi cost Liverpool dear as teenage striker Stevan Jovetic's double strike earned the points for Fiorentina.

The Reds improved after the break and, although they went close to scoring, Aurelio said the players were frustrated by the result.

"I think it was a game of two halves," he said.

"In the first-half, Fiorentina started really well and we struggled to play and keep the ball. It meant we were under pressure and made mistakes.

"In the second-half we started differently. Maybe they weren't as strong as they had been and it allowed us to manage the game better.

"We were able to create chances but unfortunately we didn't take them and couldn't put the pressure on.

"We are very disappointed with the result."

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez agrees that his side’s performance will improve out of all recognition at Chelsea.

He said: “I believe you will see a different Liverpool in that match, a totally different performance with a different mentality.

“Then we have Lyon home and away in this group, they are the leaders and it means we have to now win them both.

“We certainly will not be as bad again. If you make too many mistakes against such sides, you will be punished. It is very simple.

“Mentally we will have better days. We did improve, but we needed to score early in the second-half. We had the chances but we failed to take them.”

He added: “In that first half we did not play well, there were too many mistakes and problems. We did improve, but it was not enough.”

Steven Gerrard says Liverpool FC can rebound from Fiorentina defeat at Chelsea

STEVEN GERRARD has urged Liverpool to banish the memory of last night’s Champions League defeat to Fiorentina at Chelsea on Sunday.

The Reds’ run of six straight wins was ended as the Viola triumphed 2-0 in Group E.

Gerrard admits Rafa Benitez’s side got what deserved after falling way below their usual high standards.

And the skipper is demanding a big response in this weekend’s crunch Premier League clash in the capital.

“It was a really disappointing night,” Gerrard admitted.

“We are disappointed with our first half performance. We just didn’t turn up and were second best all over the pitch. We deserved to go in behind.

“There was a reaction in the second half – without creating many clear cut chances – but we lost the game in the first half tonight.

“We didn’t do what we usually do in Europe. We usually play with a high tempo, pass the ball well and play really well on the counter attack.

“Those things weren’t there tonight and it was all over the pitch – from front to back.

“Now we’ve got a massive game at Chelsea on Sunday.

“We have to get this result out of our system quickly and show a reaction at Stamford Bridge.”

With Lyon thrashing Debrecen 4-0, the Reds slipped to third in Group E, three points adrift of the French club and level with Fiorentina.

“It’s wide open in this group and there is a lot of football still to be played,” Gerrard added.

“It’s important now that we win our next home game against Lyon. If we win all our home games and try to pick up a couple of points in the last two away games then we will be fine.”

Fiorentina’s Montenegrin striker Stevan Jovetic was the star of the show in the Stadio Artemio Franchi and Gerrard admits the Reds will have to handle the two-goal hero a lot better when the sides meet again in December.

“I hadn’t seen much of him before but I had heard good things,” Gerrard said.

“He’s an exciting player and he’s had a good night tonight. We have to make sure when he plays at Anfield we keep a closer eye on him.”

Rafael Benitez condemned his Liverpool side’s approach to their shattering 2-0 defeat.

The Spaniard seemed to suggest it was the worst European performance under his Anfield management.

Two first-half goals from teenage striker Jovetic stunned Liverpool, and even with an improved display after break, the damage had already been done.

Benitez said: “In that first half we did not play well, there were too many mistakes and problems. We did improve, but it was not enough.

“Our mentality in that opening period was just not right, we were bad all over the pitch and I cannot really recall a performance like that.

“They were on top of us all the time, we played badly and they were just better than us.”

Liverpool went behind when Jovetic broke the offside trap with Adrian Mutu deemed not to be interfering with play.

“It is the new law, and another mistake by us,” Benitez said.

”

Jovetic took advantage of poor defending on the near post to claim his second, and Benitez was also critical of the tackling and pressing from his team.

But he said: “We now have Chelsea away at the weekend in an important Premier League game. I believe you will see a different Liverpool in that match, a totally different performance with a different mentality Then we have Lyon home and away in this group, they are the leaders and it means we have to now win them both.

“We certainly will not be as bad again. Mentally we will have better days than this. We did improve, but we needed to score early in the second-half. We had the chances but we failed to take them.”

REVEALED: How Hicks and Gillett saved Liverpool FC from mediocrity

New Liverpool-Kop writer ALEX MILLER explores how the unpopular Americans have actually been good for the club, and examines how Liverpool's future is looking bright as a result..

There is no other way to put it other than to come straight to the point. Tom Hicks and George Gillett are good for Liverpool.

There, I’ve said it. Now, before you call for the men in white coats, let me start to explain why, by stepping back just 3 or 4 years.

You remember back then? We were in danger of losing touch with Man U, Chelsea and Arsenal at the top of the table. We were becoming a middle of the road club, the sort of club that would settle for pipping Everton and finishing fifth or sixth each season.

We really were going that way. Just listen to the likes of Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard , both of whom discussed the issue in their respective books.

Michael Owen had left the club he love; Gerrard almost left for Chelsea (twice). And why? Because we were becoming also-rans.

That seems like a long time ago now.

Since the Americans bought the club in 2007, we have reached a Champions League final and improved our performances in the league immeasurably. Of course, it must be noted Rafa Benitez was already in place and already getting to grips with the Premiership when they arrived.

Back to the present. These days we no longer fear finishing 30 points behind Chelsea and Man Utd, as was the case only a few years ago. Now, we genuinely hope to pip them.

Last season was a brilliant league campaign for us; it was just bloody unfortunate that Man Utd held their nerve to deny us (experience of winning titles and luck at vital times helped that lot).

But Rafa and the lads couldn’t have achieved their recent successes without a decent level of support from the owners. Let me put it another way, since arriving, Hicks and Gillett have not actually harmed our league form have they? In fact, our expectations in the league have been rising steadily over the last few seasons.

Since the Americans arrived, we have also smashed our transfer record several times over. They promised us big signings, and they have undoubtedly delivered on that point. Just look at some of the impressive deals Hicks and Gillett have rubber-stamped:

£26m on Fernando Torres
£20m on Alberto Acquilani
£20m on Robbie Keane
£18m on Glen Johnson
£17m on Javier Mascherano

Even the £6.5m we spent on Martin Skrtel smashed our record fee for a defender at the time.

Now we are no longer at risk of losing our best players to domestic rivals, as was the painful reality only a few years ago.

Torres, Gerrard, Agger, Kuyt, Benayoun and Rafa were wanted by other big clubs home and abroad, but have all recently signed new long-term deals with us. The chances are Mascherano will sign a new deal when the time comes, too.

And before anyone thinks of Xabi Alonso, it was hardly the fault of the Americans that he left for Real Madrid, was it?

In recent months we have also seen some impressive performances off the park too. Hicks and Gillett saw we had been seriously under-performing off the pitch for many years, and promised us we would improve commercially.

We are.

Furthermore, a very public spat with Rick Parry ended with him leaving in the summer. Now, whatever your feelings about Parry, you can’t help notice his successor Christian Purslow already looks far superior in terms of being able to bring cash into the club. He already seems to better understand our commercial value. Good on him, after all, we are Liverpool.

The Standard Chartered shirt deal is very impressive. This is the biggest deal of its kind ever, worth at least £80m over 4 seasons. And how was this achieved? By skilled negotiations by our new managing director Purslow (a Liverpool fan by the way) - brought in by the Americans.

Would the Standard Chartered deal have been done if Parry was still with us? I really don’t need to answer that, do I? More of the same with Carlsberg, I suspect.

This Standard Chartered deal could really extend our supporter base right across the world, especially across Asia. More importantly for us though, it could lead to Rafa having more transfer funds.

Just as impressive as the that deal was another revelation almost completely ignored at the time of the sponsorship announcement, i.e. Purslow's intention to continue working with Carlsberg. There is now talk of a £5m a season deal with Carlsberg from next year, even though they won’t be on our shirts (almost as much as our current shirt deal).

Other deals are certain to revealed soon, while new investors are continually been invited to the table, as was recently confirmed by Hicks and Gillett.

There is even talk of selling the naming rights of our new ground. Carlsberg are also said to be interested in sponsoring our new ground for an estimated £100m+ over a 10 year period - dwarfing Arsenal’s Emirates deal.

Ah yes, and talking of our new ground - does anyone actually believe we won’t have a new ground at some point in the near future? It will be built; there is no doubt about it. The Yanks have already spent millions of pounds on developing the project.

It is vital to them that it does get built. The credit crunch has simply delayed the building. It isn’t Hicks’ and Gillett’s fault that we are all in recession (or do some of you blame them for the credit crunch, too?). Once the better times return, the ground will go up.

So you see there are plenty of positive signs that the Liverpool giant is really beginning to reawaken after years of sleeping on the job. Maybe number 19 is now a more realistic possibility than at any time since King Kenny walked away.

Hicks and Gillett are clearly at Liverpool to make money. However, if while they are looking to do that, Liverpool continues to buy quality players, enjoys more success, builds a great new stadium, sees more cash come in and our fan base grow, do we really care?

Don’t get me wrong. We can’t forget the many stupid things Hicks and Gillett have said and done since buying the club. Broken debt promises; the courting of Jurgen Klinnsman; numerous public spats and so on, but it’s not all been bad has it?

The pair have made serious errors. Maybe now though, after a couple of years at the helm, they might just understand our heritage a little better, who knows?

It could be that 10 years from now, we will all be able to look back and grudgingly admit Hicks and Gillett gave the club the kick up the backside it badly needed. It may have been a bloody painful journey, but ultimately worth it.

Imagine the scene.

Bars in Bootle, Delhi and Shanghai all packed to the rafters as Liverpool fans across the world celebrate another Premiership title coming home at the end of the 2019/20 season.

'We’re flying. Four Premiership titles on the bounce, let’s see if the lads can make it 5 next year, I’d be made up if we bring home number 23. Maybe our priority ought to be the Champions League though, number 7 would be boss. We haven’t won it for 3 seasons now,’ chuckles Stan in Bootle.

Meanwhile in Delhi. ‘The extended Carlsberg Anfield will be open next season too, an extra 5,000 fans in, that’ll make us even stronger at home. Can’t wait to hear 70,000 of us singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ adds Sunil.

The beers flow, thoughts turn back to 2007. ‘Funny to think we might not be winning the league again if the Americans hadn’t bought us out,’ ponders Ken Ho in Shanghai.

It could just happen you know.

Liverpool FC's Fabio Aurelio reveals Rafa Benitez rage

FABIO AURELIO has revealed Rafael Benitez flew into a red rage after Liverpool’s first-half horror show in Florence.

The Anfield outfit slumped to their first Champions League group stage defeat in almost two years with a dismal 2-0 reverse against Fiorentina on Tuesday night.

Teenage striker Stevan Jovetic scored twice during an opening 45 minutes Benitez described as the worst of his tenure.

And Aurelio, who surprisingly played in central midfield at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, has lifted the lid on Benitez’s displeasure during half-time.

“I think that was the most annoyed we have seen the manager,” said the Brazilian. “But we all were. We all felt like that after the first half and I think that's why you saw a better performance in the second.

“But we didn't need harsh words at half-time

– we all knew that we were not playing well and that we had to be much better.

“We knew we would improve in the second and the manager was not the only one who was annoyed with us at half-time. We were annoyed with ourselves because we know how we played.

“In the second we were a different side and if it had been like that from the start it could have been a different result.

“We can't think about that now, though, just how we will manage it again if we have the same situation in the future.”

It was Liverpool’s first group defeat since losing 2-1 at Besiktas in October 2007, and leaves them three points adrift of group leaders Lyon and behind second-placed Fiorentina on goal difference.

The loss was their third in 10 games this term, compared to five in the whole of last season.

Nevertheless, a run of four straight Premier League victories has moved Liverpool within three points of joint leaders Manchester United and Chelsea.

And Benitez’s side could move level with the Londoners with victory in their Stamford Bridge showdown on Sunday.

For Aurelio, it’s the ideal chance to bounce back from Tuesday’s disappointment.

“In football you always have a chance to put it right and turn things to your favour and ours comes at Chelsea on Sunday,” said the Brazilian. “It's a good opportunity for us to get over the disappointment of losing here.

“It is a very important game in the Premier League, against a very strong side, and we have to recover from this result straight away and have the confidence we can do a good job again.

“We have to show the real Liverpool on Sunday.”

Liverpool FC star Fernando Torres insists: "I will never play for Manchester United"

Fernando Torres has gone on record to say that he will never play for title rivals Manchester United out of respect for the Liverpool fans who have supported him since his arrival.

The Spaniard arrived at Anfield in 2007 from Atletico Madrid but was linked with a shock move to Old Trafford this summer before the Red Devils eventually signed former Kop hero Michael Owen on a free transfer.

But Torres is refusing to emulate Owen's decision and that he could not play for any other club in England apart from the Reds.

"I can understand the feelings between Man Utd and Liverpool," he said.

"I’m a foreign player, so maybe I don’t have to think like that, but I know how the Liverpool fans feel and I remember the welcome I had when I arrived – it was just amazing, so I think Liverpool is my English club.

"I hope to play a lot of years or maybe even finish my career here. I don’t know, but Liverpool is my English team and I don’t think about playing for another one.”

The 25-year-old, who scored a hattrick in last weekend's 6-1 demolition of Hull City, was also full of praise for both the club and the city of Liverpool, drawing comparisons with his home town of Madrid.

"Liverpool is a working-class city, the people work hard all the week and then try to be happy with the football at the weekend, so it’s very similar to Madrid," he continued.

"I was born in a working-class town in the suburbs of Madrid, and Atlético was the poor team in the city – the small one next to a massive club like Real Madrid.

"It’s difficult to live like this, but I think it makes you stronger; you have to fight not just against a team, but against everything else as well.”

Despite not having picked up a winners' medal in his two-year spell on Merseyside, Torres believes that the current Liverpool squad are good enough to challenge for major honours this season.

He added: "We have a fantastic squad, still young – we have Dan Agger, Martin Skrtel, Lucas and Stevie, all of whom will still play a long time. We have to be patient, and then when we win the next trophy we have to be strong enough to go on and win more.

"This is how it is; I remember Carles Puyol telling me how he was 24, 25 and had played for Barcelona for seven seasons without winning any trophies – and now look at him, he has everything.

"So you have to be patient; if you play for a massive team like Liverpool, you will win trophies.”

It was also announced today that Torres has won a double header of awards after being crowned the PFA Fans' Player of the Month for both August and September.

El Nino beat off stiff competition from Anfield team mate Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney of Manchester United and Chelsea's Frank Lampard, who he will face when the Reds travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.