Lucas Leiva wants to repay the faith shown in him by Rafael Benitez.

Lucas has his critics at Anfield, but Benitez has always stuck by him and now the Brazilian midfielder is eager to help the under-fire Spanish coach.

"We are in a difficult moment, but we are the ones on the pitch and it is up to us to improve," he told The Times. "Rafa is a really good manager we have to try to win for ourselves, but also for him.

“He has been good for us and for me in particular. He gave me opportunities and he gave me confidence, now I want to pay him back by playing well, working and performing as he expects.”

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