Glen targets Pompey repeat

Glen Johnson believes maintaining the level of the scintillating Portsmouth performance can see Liverpool into the quarter finals of the Europa League and secure a successful conclusion to 2009-10.

The Reds take on Lille at Anfield this evening needing to overturn a 1-0 first leg loss if they are to progress into the last eight of the competition.

However, confidence amongst the Reds contingent has been bolstered by Monday's electric 4-1 victory over Pompey - and Johnson feels that display is now the benchmark for the remainder of the campaign.

"We played well against Portsmouth, showed we had confidence and managed to express ourselves by getting a few goals in the first half," said the full-back.

"The game plan was the same as the one Rafa always sticks to.

"But the lads just felt a bit more confident and went out there and expressed ourselves. We've got to find that consistency. Even the lads who played at Wigan were scratching their heads at the performance.

"It's part of football; one week you might be great, the next you might not. But now we know have to play like (against Portsmouth) every week. If we can, it will be great. It will be tough against Lille, we know they are a good team but it's up to us now."

Alberto Aquilani was one of several eye-catching performers against Portsmouth, netting his maiden Liverpool goal during a rampant six-minute first-half spell - though the midfielder is a doubt for the Lille encounter after missing training on Wednesday due to a virus.

Nonetheless, Johnson admits no-one in the dressing room was surprised by Aquilani's Pompey showing and insists it is a sign of things to come from his fellow summer signing.

"We see him every day in training so we know he is a very good player," he said. "But it's hard to put that into games on a Saturday if you are not playing week in week out because the sharpness and confidence isn't there.

"What you saw against Portsmouth was a bit of Alberto Aquilani that we always knew was there, so it hasn't come as a surprise to us. It was great for the fans to finally see it and hopefully it can continue.

"He's a very good lad, I get on with him very well. We go out for dinner every now and then and we're good mates. All the lads have been great to both of us. It's probably been easier for me to settle in because I can speak English

"But he is picking it up and learning fast, so I'm sure he is going to be fine. In the long run he will turn into a very good Liverpool player, he has the ability but all he needs is to be playing with confidence.

"He needed that performance. It was what the fans needed and what everyone around him needed. We can only take every game as it comes. We'll now crack on for the next one, which is against Lille, and we are going in to win it."

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