Benitez hails Reds start

Liverpool 2-0 Monaco

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez described his side's opening Champions League victory over Monaco as a "fantastic start" to their European campaign.

"When you win you're satisfied but when you win like this and make so many chances you are very happy," he said.

"We have three points and it has been a fantastic start.

"Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard played well together in midfield but I'm looking to have a strong squad and be able to swap players as we are doing."

Benitez added: "It could have been Dietmar Hamann but this time it was Alonso and Gerrard and it worked very well.

"And I was happy too with Luis Garcia, he tried lots of things and gave us plenty of options to attack playing in the position between attack and midfield."

Monaco boss Didier Deschamps was bitterly disappointed with his side's display.

He said: "We could not get into the game and lost out in all areas of the pitch.

"The result went against us and we got what we deserved. We lacked aggression and were too slow to the ball, Liverpool were a yard quicker than us everywhere."