Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says Luis Suarez is not to blame for the 2-0 loss to Zenit St Petersburg despite the striker's woeful night in front of goal.
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The otherwise lethal Uruguayan missed a hat-full of excellent goalscoring chances before Hulk and Sergei Semak gave the Russian side the advantage going into their last-32 second-leg tie.
On one occasion Suarez rounded goalkeeper Alexander Kerzhakov before contriving to hit his shot wide of the target while he also backheeled wide from close range.
After the match Rodgers said: "He could have had a hat-trick by half-time.
"It just wasn't his night but he's been brilliant for us all season.
"The important thing is that after his first one-on-one, he kept going and was still in there."
He added: "Going into the last 20-25 minutes I was thinking we could win the game but we gave away two poor goals.
"The first one is a terrific strike but we are disappointed with the build-up and we could have defended it better.
"We ended up losing the game when we probably should have won the game.
"In six months, 12 months' time we won't be making those mistakes.
"This is a group that is growing and this is part of our growing pains.
"We have put in some terrific performances this season and not always got results but we have to be more clinical and that is something over the course of the coming months which will have to take place."
Rodgers is, however, adamant his side can overturn their 2-0 deficit when the two sides meet in the second leg next Thursday.
"There is no way the tie is over, not by a long shot. We are more than capable of getting the goals back," he said.
"I think the next goal is vitally important for us and what gives us hope is we created enough to win the game.
"If we get it early it can create the momentum for us.
"At 2-0 (down) you can retrieve something and it gives us a fighting chance."
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