Moreno on Stevie, Mario and Razgrad
Alberto Moreno watched Steven Gerrard summon trademark levels of composure to clinch a Champions League victory on Tuesday night and later expressed his wish to play with the captain for years to come.
The Spaniard was part of the Reds team that opened their Group B campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Bulgarian title-holders Ludogorets Razgrad at Anfield, courtesy of the skipper's stoppage-time penalty.
Gerrard was required to expertly convert from 12 yards in front of the Kop after Mario Balotelli's first goal for the club - a sublime finish at the same end - had been cancelled out by a Dani Abalo strike that stunned the home crowd.
"[Gerrard] got a bit nervous didn't he?!" Moreno, who was voted Man of the Match in our official supporters' poll on Twitter, joked after the final whistle.
"I don't have words for Stevie; he's a great footballer and he's a special person, not just here but at a world level. Steven Gerrard is a great player.
"That is what we've always been told and I am proud to be playing with him. I hope that remains the case for years to come."
The 22-year-old was equally keen to praise the contribution of Balotelli, who seemed to have provided the pivotal moment when he rounded the Ludogorets defence and dispatched perfectly into the far corner.
"Mario is physically fearsome," said the full-back. "He can hold the ball up and help us when we are under pressure at the back, and can release the ball.
"That gives us something extra and then in the penalty box you saw the one chance he had, he took it. For opposition defences it is hard when you're up against Mario Balotelli.
"I am delighted for him and his goal. Now we have to keep it going."
Moreno was a constant menace to the visitors, showing the full range of his skills in both a defensive and attacking capacity across the 90 minutes.
For example, seconds after thwarting a dangerous Ludogorets foray, it was his accurate delivery from the left flank that allowed Balotelli to break the deadlock.
The No.18 acknowledged the difficulties of the encounter but echoed the thoughts of manager Brendan Rodgers in insisting that three points were the vital outcome.
"It was a tough game, a complicated game," he said. "We were up against a very strong Ludogorets and we knew there was no guarantee of the three points and that we were going to have to do a good job.
"You could see we gave everything and did all we could to get the three points.
"The team did a good job and when you lose it in the last few minutes with the equaliser but then get a goal in your favour, it's a great delight, especially for the job the team did. It was a hard game and we're happy with the three points."