You still need more fire power, boss?

14 April 2012
Liverpool 4 Arsenal 1

It says everything about Rafa Benitez's hardheaded approach to team selection that Peter Crouch admitted his reward for a first-ever Liverpool hat-trick could be a place on the bench at PSV Eindhoven tomorrow.

The England striker allowed himself a wry smile at the unpredictable nature of life under his Spanish boss, but it soon disappeared as he pitched his thoughts beyond Liverpool's quest for a Champions League semi-final place.

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Heads I win: Peter Crouch rises to nod home Liverpool's second

Clinical finishing with his head and both feet was enough to dash Arsenal hopes of an historic third Anfield win this season but not to convince Benitez that he can abandon his search for more firepower.

No one at Anfield disputes that Crouch has enhanced the club's attacking qualities and proved value for money at £7million from Southampton, but Benitez takes a dispassionate, single-minded view of making sure the improvement process continues.

Armed with more funds than ever after being promised all the backing he needs in a meeting yesterday with new owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, Benitez intends turning Liverpool into an even more potent force next season and has already been linked with the likes of Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o and Valencia's Spain marksman David Villa. The calibre of the transfer targets left Crouch under no illusions about his Liverpool future as he reflected on the sort of goalscoring masterclass England sorely missed during his recent injury absence.

"I know the reality of being a Liverpool player," he said. "I've got to give it my best every time, because there is always talk of new players coming in. Certainly, I want to remain part of the manager's plans — next season and beyond — but he doesn't give much away.

"He keeps his cards close to his chest but I'm as happy as I've ever been and determined to prove I'm worth a place in the team.

"As I carry on performing at my best, I'll keep my place. I'm confident of that. Whether I'll keep way the manager works you can never be sure. If he feels fresh legs are needed he will bring them in. I can't take anything for granted, not even after a hat-trick."

There was no handling Crouch as he finished off a slick combination between Jermaine Pennant and Alvaro Arbeloa for his first, met Fabio Aurelio's curling cross with a soaring header for the second and, finally, switched the ball from one foot to another with trademark swiftness to score from close range.

Normally there is no angering him, but he came close to being riled after again being quizzed, in a post-match Sky Sports interview, about supposedly not scoring enough. "People still seem to be questioning my record," he said. "It does annoy me a touch, because that is 16 goals from 24 starts this season. I wish they would look at actual minutes on the pitch, rather than just overall appearances.

"Someone told me it works out at a goal every hour or so. People forget about the times I have only gone on for the last few minutes or been subbed before the end."

Crouch rounded off an emphatic revenge win shortly after Daniel Agger glanced home another pinpoint Aurelio delivery, and revealed a pre-match ploy by Benitez that helped prevent Arsenal becoming the first team to record three Anfield wins in a season, following back-to-back defeats in the FA Cup and Carling Cup earlier this year. "He reminded us of our two defeats in January by sticking the scores up on a board in the dressing room," said Crouch.

"It hurt us all to get turned over at home like that. We owed it to our supporters to make amends and you could sense the mood of determination. We all agreed we had to put things right after looking up at that board and seeing 1-3 and 3-6 and I think that showed in the way we played."

Arsenal hopes flickered briefly when William Gallas made it 3-1 in the 73rd minute, but the lack of a cutting edge must have concerned Arsene Wenger, even though Emmanuel Adebayor was unfortunate in hitting the post twice.

The Arsenal manager certainly seemed to have something on his mind, judging by a bizarre backhanded compliment for Crouch.

"Fortunately, it is not every day we meet someone of a basketball player's size," said Wenger.

"I don't mean that to be disrespectful, but we did look short of height. Crouch was superb, though. He has the size of a basketball player but the skill of a real footballer."

A bemused Crouch at least managed to laugh it off. "I can't remember using my hands too much so I can't go along with that," he said.

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