RAFA EXPECTS BIG THINGS FROM DEFENDER

Rafa Benitez today backed Andrea Dossena to start displaying the kind of form which has made him a regular for Italy.

The Reds boss is content with the way his new left-back is settling in but believes there is much more to come from a player who turned 27 today. Dossena's form over the last year has made him a regular in Marcelo Lippi's national set-up – and Benitez hopes getting 90 minutes in a World Cup qualifier on Wednesday will give the defender bags of confidence. "It is good for Dossena to play for his national team because it will give him more confidence," said the Spaniard. "We are happy with him because we know that he is a good player and he is working hard but we also know that he can get better. "He has done okay so far and he performed well in our last game at Aston Villa, but there is still more to come. It is not easy to come to a new country to play for a new club and to get used to their system, but Dossena is keen to learn and he will get better with more games and more time."