RAFA HAILS YOUNGSTERS AFTER LAZIO WIN

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[tr][td=1,1,357]Rafael Benitez hailed the performance of Liverpool's young guns after they concluded their pre-season schedule with a 1-0 win over Lazio at Anfield. [/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1,487]The Reds boss admitted he was pleased with his side's overall display after Andriy Voronin's stoppage time winner sealed a deserved victory against the Italians and Benitez felt the impact of the likes of Jay Spearing - who created the winning goal - was the main highlight of the night.
  
"I think it was a very good game against a good team," he said.
  
"You could see they were pretty sharp, comfortable on the ball and played well on the counter attack. We had two or three really good chances to score and win the game so overall it was very positive, particularly as we had a lot of young players in the side.
  
"The young players were good too. We know all about the senior players but they all played well. Nabil El Zhar, Jay Spearing, Damien Plessis, and Nemeth - they were all good."
  
Benitez also had words of praise for Xabi Alonso, who enjoyed a superb display at the heart of the Reds' midfield.
  
"He was playing well," he said.
  
"That was positive for us. He is a good player and hopefully we will have another good player coming in soon. We can improve so we will try to improve."
  
With a Champions League qualifier away to Standard Liege and a Premier League encounter with Sunderland just around the corner, Benitez is now focused on putting the final touches to his squad and admitted a left-sided player was still a priority.
  
"Clearly we have problems on the left," he said. "We have sold Riise and Kewell and Fabio Aurelio is injured. Leto doesn't have a work permit and Babel is at the Olympic Games, so I think we can improve in this area." [/td][/tr][tr][/tr]