Missed chances cost us says Rafa

Last updated : 22 January 2008 By Al Campbell
The Reds had to rely on a late strike from Peter Crouch to rescue a point last night from a game they should have had wrapped up long before Aston Villa scored twice in three minutes to turn it on it's head.

"We were controlling the game and creating all of the chances, but we needed to score the second goal to kill the game off," said Benitez.

"If we'd have scored the second goal I'm sure we'd have scored more because we were playing well.

"I told the players after the game that if you can't kill off the game you will give the other team hope and that was what happened. They were waiting for a free kick and they scored from two set pieces.

"We had the chances to win, but we didn't take them and in the end you have to be happy because we could have lost."