Sami Hyypia: Liverpool need a big night at Anfield next weekend

Apr 3 2008

SAMI HYYPIA insists Liverpool still have a big job on their hands if they are to knock Arsenal out of the Champions League.

The Reds secured a hugely creditable 1-1 draw with Arsene Wenger's side at The Emirates last night thanks to Dirk Kuyt's equaliser.

But Hyypia believes there is still a great deal more work to be done if Liverpool are to make it through to the semi-final stage of Europe's biggest cup competition for the third time in just four years.

And even though they have an away goal in the bank, Hyypia is looking to Liverpool to win the second leg outright when the two sides meet again at Anfield in five days time.

"We will see on Tuesday how good a result this is," said the Finnish defender. "We are very happy to have got an away goal.

“We were looking to get one because we know how important it could be and the fact that we also managed to get a draw means that if we win at Anfield we are through.

"That is what we must try to do because we know Arsenal are a good side and they are capable of scoring a goal at Anfield.

"So we need to try and win the game because if we do that it doesn't matter what else happens."

Liverpool again conceded a goal from a set piece last night as Emmanuel Adebayor rose unmarkedto head home from an Arsenal corner and the manner of that strike upset Hyypia who held his hands up afterwards.

But he believes the way Liverpool hit back with an equaliser almost immediately after going a goal behind shows the character of the team.

He said: "It is disappointing to concede a goal from a corner kick and I think I made a bit of an error because I probably could have been closer to Adebayor and tried to stop him from getting a clear header.

"It was a good jump from Adebayor and I didn't expect him to get over the ball the way he did but it was good that we scored just a few minutes after that because then it was game on again.

"That goal showed our character. We knew there is another game to play so it was important to score.

"We kept on going because we wanted to get that goal and Dirk did really well to score after good work from Stevie.

"Maybe in the second half we were in more of a defensive mode and we could not keep the ball well enough to attack more but Arsenal are a good team and they pushed us back quite a bit."