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Benitez urges Reds focus Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has told his players to tackle their Europa League last-16 first-leg tie against Lille as if it was their "most important game of the season".

Considering the state of the current campaign, the Spaniard's comments have more than a ring of truth to them.

After Monday's diabolical performance in the 1-0 defeat to Wigan - described by Benitez as "a blip" - the Reds' hopes of securing a top-four finish in the Barclays Premier League have diminished considerably.

As a result the Europa League - a consolation prize for an early exit from this season's Champions League - represents the club's only realistic chance of success.

Benitez said: "A game right now will be a chance for the players to show their character.

"The last 10 games we have been all right. We had character, everyone was working hard, helping each other and working together.

"It was a surprise and hopefully this result (Wigan) is just a blip and we will see the real Liverpool on Thursday." With defender Fabio Aurelio still sidelined with a thigh strain midfielder Yossi Benayoun is Liverpool's only injury doubt as he missed training yesterday with an ankle injury sustained at Wigan.

Lille coach Rudi Garcia is not reading too much into Liverpool's latest defeat. He said: "Liverpool are a big team and big teams are always there," said Garcia.

"We cannot under-estimate them but we'll see if they perform again like they did against Wigan.

"It will be difficult (for us) after this more-than-average game they had against Wigan.

"But there are two sides to the story: maybe their confidence is decreasing but they now know the importance of the Europa League and winning it will be one of their objectives.

"Liverpool are probably the most legendary team in England, but then again maybe we have to write our own story the way St Etienne did when they played them in the quarter-finals back in the 1970s.

"We need to write our own history. We will see that maybe when we play at Anfield but it is magical to play against such a team." Lille will be without defenders Nicolas Plestan and Mathieu Debuchy, and forwards Tulio de Melo and Gervinho - all out injured - for the tie.

Lille vs Liverpool

Last modified 20:49 11/03/10

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How fitting the matchwinner's name was Hazard, given the goal Liverpool conceded to condemn them to yet another disastrous defeat was an accident waiting to happen.

This time it was Lille who provided the torment, to leave the English club now in very real danger of not reaching even the quarter-finals of the Europa League, and thus removing their last chance of even the scantest consolation from an embarrassing campaign.

Eden Hazard scored the winner for the French club six minutes from time, and the nature of the goal perfectly summed up the fortunes of Rafael Benitez's side for just about the whole of this season, because it was pretty humiliating.

The lively winger had been the chief threat all night long, and with time running out and Liverpool thinking they had survived an ordeal to escape with a clean sheet at least, he was presented with a free-kick at an angle on the left 30 yards from goal.

His delivery was intended for the big men at the far post, but when the ball drifted over his own team-mates and the rooted visiting defenders, it deceived and embarrassed keeper Pepe Reina to creep into the far corner of the net.

It was no more than Liverpool deserved on yet another European night they will want to forget in an entirely unmemorable season, but it could have been even worse, because barely two minutes later, Lille substitute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang found himself clear but crashed a shot against the post.

It leaves Liverpool facing a demise in this consolation prize of this competition, every bit as painful as their exit from the Champions League, and they will not even have the excuse of playing against powerful opponents.

Lille are organised and committed, but they are not a side who should unduly trouble such a powerful club as Liverpool, and yet if they reproduce this performance in the return leg next week, then they will go out, it is as simple as that.

There were few positives again, and following on from the defeat at Wigan on Monday, it has been a miserable week for the Anfield club, tempered only, perhaps, by the hint last night that at least Fernando Torres is creeping back to something like form.

He had chances and so did his team, which is something given their rather dogmatic approach to salvaging something from their disastrous season, which meant nobody expected a classic here in Lille, especially because the pitch resembled the Normandy beaches only an hour from this northern industrial town.

The play itself, however, was anything but dour, with both sides carving out a series of chances that could, in truth, have given either the ascendancy in the tie.

Lille posted their intent within 40 seconds when the lively Yohan Cabaye burst through to test Pepe Reinaís reflexes, but it was the less exotically but perhaps more accurately named Hazard (no relation to Mickey) who posed the biggest threat to the English club.

His pace and trickery down the right flank was more than a match for the often bemused defences of Emiliano Insua, who is beginning to look a young man in need of the prolonged break from the front line of top-flight football.

Twice Hazard beat the Argentine full-back, but his first delicious cross just eluded centre-forward Pierre-Alain Frau, and his second was fired vigorously over the cross bar by the striker.

Hazard himself danced through three tackles to create shooting space, but his weak effort served only to suggest that Liverpool had still not quite shaken off the hangover from their defeat at Wigan.

Yet going forward they were more compelling, and created several choice moments that could have provided the perfect lift as they searched for the inspiration they require in the closing months of the campaign.

It was Torres who was the chief architect, with his clever passing twice allowing Ryan Babel within sights of the whites of the Lille keeper's eyes.

But the first time he delayed the shot to allow Adil Rami an important tackle, and then soon after he was sent galloping through after a fine series of interchanges with his strike partner, only to crash his shot against the legs of keeper Mickael Landreau.

Under normal circumstances, youíd have preferred Torres himself to have those chances, but these arenít normal circumstances for Liverpool, and as if to emphasise that point, the Spanish forward missed a glorious opportunity soon after.

IGlen Johnson delivered a clever hanging cross and Torres got up well enough to send a powerful header goalwards, but his aim was not precise enough, and again Landreau saved well.

What was worrying for Benitez though, was that in the second half it was Lille who were the stronger, and some serious questions marks must now be asked about the character of his side.