Football
10y

Steven Gerrard: Liverpool have 'a lot to learn' after Ludogorets Razgrad win

Steven Gerrard says Liverpool "have got a lot to learn" from their return to the Champions League after securing a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ludogorets Razgrad with a late penalty.

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Gerrard held his nerve to convert a 92nd-minute spot kick just moments after Ludogorets had equalised through Dani Abalo.

Mario Balotelli looked as though he would be the hero when he scored with eight minutes remaining -- his first goal for Liverpool coming in front of a delirious Kop.

Gerrard, though, was far from impressed with the Reds' overall performance, despite escaping with all three points from their opening match in Group B, five seasons on from their last appearance in the competition.

"It's always nice to win the game when you think you're going to drop two points and you get a decision like that at the end," Gerrard told ITV. "It was the right decision, but on the game as a whole we did OK -- we didn't do any better than OK.

"We've got a lot to learn. I thought they caused us quite a few problems, just like Aston Villa did on the counter-attack, so me and the lads have got a lot to learn."

Gerrard praised Balotelli for his persistence on a night that looked certain to end in frustration for the striker and his new club.

"You've got to give him credit -- he's come in and everyone's waiting for him to get that first goal," Gerrard said. "It never went his way for long periods tonight but the sign of a good goalscorer is to be relentless, keep going, keep going to the end because it only takes one chance.

"When you've got that ability, it only takes one chance. But I think more important than the goal was his work-rate. I think all the fans and me and the team were waiting to see how he'd fit in and I thought he worked his socks off. That will do for me.

"We go away to Basel now and if we get maximum points then it puts us in a very good position. At Liverpool, we always analyse what we've done and I think to judge that performance [tonight] is: 'must do better.'"

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