Rafa's response to City draw

Rafa Benitez backed Liverpool to hold off the threat of Manchester City and establish themselves back in the top four over the coming months after his side salvaged a point in difficult circumstances at Anfield.

Martin Skrtel's first goal in English football gave the Reds a 1-0 lead just after the break but strikes from Stephen Ireland and Emmanuel Adebayor turned the game on its head.
 
The hosts were right to feel hard done by after replays showed Ireland was offside for his effort but within a minute Yossi Benayoun levelled at the Anfield Road End.
 
Liverpool were without Fernando Torres and Glen Johnson for the clash and were dealt early blows with injuries to Ryan Babel (twisted ankle) and Daniel Agger (five stitches after a clash of heads with Kolo Toure).
 
Benitez said: "It was a bad start because we tested some players early this morning and Johnson wasn't confident and couldn't start, so we had to move Carra to the right.
 
"Then we got everything right and had another problem and another. We had to move some players and we knew some players were not fully fit because they were not training for a long time.
 
"It was difficult from the beginning but when we scored the goal I thought maybe we could do it but City were dangerous from counter attacks.
 
"After conceding two goals the team's comeback was fantastic. We showed great character. We scored our goal and could have got two at the end. With all the problems we had we were still pushing.
 
"You cannot be happy when you draw at home but when you have a gameplan and you lose Johnson in the morning, then Agger, then Babel. We had to manage but the reaction of the players was fantastic.
 
"With the problems we had today, you cannot ask for more from the players."
 
Asked what a second consecutive 2-2 at Anfield meant for Liverpool's top four chances, Benitez added: "City have quality but if we can improve and play at our level we'll be in the top four.
 
"We won six games in a row and I am sure when we have players back we'll start winning games in a row."
 
Benitez is hopeful of the treatment room clearing ahead of the midweek clash against Debrecen in Hungary.
 
He said: "We have to see how Babel and Agger progress for the next game on Tuesday but the positives are that Benayoun played, Riera was available on the bench and Fabio Aurelio came on and played - that's very good news.
 
"Hopefully we'll have Johnson back for Tuesday."
 
Quizzed on why Benayoun was substituted late in the game after himself coming on for the injured Babel, Benitez said: "Gerrard had some cramps in his calf. It was between Gerrard and Yossi but Gerrard in a big game scores goals and Yossi was a little bit more tired because he was 10 days without training with the team."