Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has sung the praises if his assistant Sammy Lee. The Reds number one has hailed Lee as the near-perfect number two and says he is highly respected at Anfield.

"Sammy is someone every player respects," Benitez told the club's official website.

"He is very positive and is always pushing. He is a great motivator, so it was a very good addition.

"He is a person who knows the club and he's doing a really good job.

"I don't know any manager who is the perfect manager, so no number two can be perfect. But if you ask me if he is close to being the perfect number two then I think he is.

"The only thing he can improve a little bit is his English!"