Gerrard injury bad luck according to Liverpool’s Benitez

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has admitted that the injury to captain Steven Gerrard in Tuesday’s Champions League match against Lyon was just bad luck.

Gerrard was in doubt leading into the match after missing the league fixture at Sunderland on Saturday with a groin problem but Benitez decided to give him a start.

However, the inclusion backfired when Gerrard had to be substituted in the 25th minute and although the Reds went ahead 16 minutes later, eventually lost the match 2-1 to the French outfit.

Benitez stands by his decision, saying Gerrard’s injury was just bad luck.

"It was not a gamble to play Gerrard. He wanted to play and had trained normally for two games,” the Spaniard said.

"He was given the all-clear by the doctor, and what happened was just bad luck. He felt something wrong in his groin, and it was wise to come off."

Benitez did say, however, that injury problems were the main factor for the loss at the end of the day.

"We just had too many problems before and during the game,” he added.

“Losing Glen Johnson before the match, and then Gerrard and Martin Kelly during the match, was just too much to contend with.”