"We didn't deserve anything in the first half, " conceded Benitez, who, perhaps with Thursday's Europa League match against Lille in mind, broke from hisusualapproach of defending his team following a poor performance.
He found 71.4% of fairways off the tee , or 40 out of 56, and hisusual gun-barrel accuracy with hisapproach shots was once again in evidence as he hit 76.4% of greens in regulation figures.
Smith might also have to do without Sasa Papac, prompting him to admit that he might have to abandon hisusual 5-4-1 European formation in favour of a more attacking approach.