Watford still in hunt for final place

Lewington said: "We've got everything to play for. We've got a great chance at our place and Vicarage Road not an easy place to play. The pitch is not as good and Liverpool won't find it easy.

"Our crowd will make some noise and we're really looking forward to it. We can get two goals at our place. We came here to try and get something to take back with us and we think we have.

"We would've taken a 1-0 defeat at the start but given the way we played are slightly disappointed. It's a great result but it could have been better."

The kick-off was slightly delayed on a blustery evening as Liverpool's players popped the yellow balloons released by the 6,000 visiting fans, but the home side found Watford's bubbly enthusiasm harder to burst. The experienced pair of Gavin Mahon and Brynjar Gunnarsson controlled midfield, French youngster Hameur Bouazza provided a willing outlet down the left and Heidur Helguson was his usual awkward self up front.

After a difficult opening period, Watford began to dominate and created the best chances of the first half, Bouazza volleying wide from a Paul Devlin cross and Gunnarsson heading straight at Jerzy Dudek later in the same move.

Benitez chose to praise the visitors rather than castigate his own players but Gerrard was more candid, admitting that his team-mates had been guilty of complacency.

He said: "It was tougher than we expected and Watford deserve a lot of credit. They made it a real battle for us and it'll be very tough in the second leg.

"The manager thought we went into the game expecting it to be easy and at half-time asked us to impose ourselves more and pass the ball better.

"Watford deserve to go away from here with a lot of credit. Our whole squad should now realise how it's going to be in the second leg. We won the game so there are some positives to take from it but we'll need to be a lot better in the second leg."

If it were not for Gerrard's contribution then Liverpool would be facing an even tougher task and he again came to their aid when it was most needed, scoring his eighth goal of a season that has been interrupted by a two-month absence through injury.

The England midfielder is in a different league to his teammates at the moment in terms of ability and application and he could soon be in a different team, with Chelsea expected to make a renewed approach this summer.

Gerrard's 56th-minute goal, helped into his own net by Neil Cox following substitute Milan Baros's cross, eased Liverpool's nerves but Watford refused to concede defeat.

Cox fired a late free-kick narrowly wide and Helguson was twice denied by last-ditch tackles as the visitors displayed a determination that will be redoubled in the second leg.

Benitez is likely to have Fernando Morientes to call upon by then and he may need the Spaniard as he seems set to pick another full-strength team.

He said: "I want to go and win the game but am not sure which players I will use. I will look at their condition after the Manchester United game."

Liverpool's youngsters should not hold their breath.