Rodgers hails ‘different dimension’ Benteke
Print Edition
LIVERPOOL manager Brendan Rodgers said Christian Benteke gives his side a different dimension and hailed his performance against Bournemouth on Monday after the Belgian international scored on his home debut to make it two wins out of two in the Premier League.
Liverpool beat Bournemouth 1-0 after the 24-year-old, who signed from Aston Villa for 32.5 million pounds (US$50.6 million) in the offseason, turned in midfielder Jordan Henderson’s cross from close range midway through the first half. The goal stood despite Philippe Coutinho appearing to have been offside.
“I thought he was a real handful, you saw all the facets of his game,” Rodgers said.
“His hold-up play is outstanding, he’s got a wonderful touch for a big guy and you saw that this evening.
“Because of his physicality and contact, he keeps the ball alive in a dangerous area of the field,” the Northern Irishman added.
“It gives us a different dimension to our game, whilst looking to retain that philosophy to move the ball and get fluency.”
Benteke was pleased to mark his Anfield debut with a winning goal, but was equally happy with his team’s second consecutive clean sheet.
“It was important for me on my debut at Anfield to score and help the team win,” he said.
Rodgers added his decision to replace Henderson early in the second half was due to the midfielder carrying a foot injury.
“He’s had a problem with the bottom of his foot,” the manager said. “He hadn’t trained for part of the week, he was taking some painkillers with it.”
As well as Benteke’s goal, Bournemouth was also aggrieved that captain Tommy Elphick had seen an early header ruled out for a foul after he was adjudged to have clambered over Dejan Lovren.
Arriving at his post-match press conference, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe was asked for his thoughts on the goal and shot back: “Which one?”
He added: “It’s hugely frustrating really, especially after the goal being disallowed, so that’s basically a two-goal swing against us.”
Howe was particularly disappointed that Benteke’s goal had been allowed to stand despite Coutinho’s attempt to make contact with Henderson’s in-swinging cross from the left.
New guidelines by rule-making body the International Football Association Board explicitly state that in such instances, the player who attempts to play the ball should be flagged offside and Howe’s exasperation was plain. “The problem for us as managers was that we felt it (the offside rule) was a little bit grey,” he said.
“We were assured that it wouldn’t be and that the rule would be adhered to correctly. The problem tonight is that if that’s not offside, that’s the clearest example that you’ll see of the new rule.”
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