Benitez makes Gerrard vow

Lampard lures Gerrard

New Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has vowed to do all he can to keep Steven Gerrard at Anfield.

But Benitez also insisted that if Gerrard does complete a post-Euro 2004 move to Chelsea it would not undermine Liverpool's title hopes.

The former Valencia coach told Liverpool's official website: "I will try to talk to him and tell him how important he is to us.

"But I'm not worried. You can have the best players but not the best team."

For now it hasn't happened, and Gerrard is still here with us Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez

Benitez could begin life at Anfield without one of his prized assets, but the Liverpool coach is more concerned with reproducing the sort of team pattern that proved successful at Valencia.

Benitez said: "A good player can win one match but a good team will win four, five matches.

"If you have a good team you can win more matches and that is what you need to win titles."

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Benitez is all too aware of the speculation that Gerrard will become the latest addition to Roman Abramovich's expensively assembled squad at Stamford Bridge.

He said: "Normally when people say to me 'if something happens what is your opinion?' I always say 'wait, wait, wait'.

"For now it hasn't happened. We are waiting and we know he is still here with us.

"We know he is important for us, but we will wait."