TERRY VENABLES last night hit back at Gerard Houllier over claims that he was a "lucky'' winner in yesterday's clash at the Riverside.

Liverpool boss Houllier was "stunned'' by his side's failure to collect three points against basement battlers Middlesbrough.

"I think today it was more Lucky Venables than Terry Venables,'' said Houllier. "I'm still stunned that we didn't win the game. They got 11 men behind the ball and looked like an Italian team.

"If I had to sum up the game in one sentence I would say: 'We kept the ball and they kept the result.' I felt disappointed for the lads because we had a lot of possession and they just sat back.

"You can't blame them for that, but I thought we deserved a draw at least.

"I have lost some games in my time, but this is the most strange.''

Houllier's comments were hard on Boro, and revivalist Venables, who has inspired an unbeaten three-match run which has yielded seven points without a goal conceded, was quick on the counter.

Despite the win, courtesy of Christian Karembeu's 40th-minute tap-in, Boro remain second bottom and deep in trouble.

"I wonder what he would do in the same position,'' snapped Venables. "I've heard some of the things Gerard Houllier has said, like that I was lucky.

"But I don't believe that was the case. We worked hard to reduce the space and we restricted them to just one shot in the first half, so we must have been doing something right.

"We played some good football, but we're not a top-six side who can indulge in too much of that. The result was all that mattered to us.

"Liverpool are up near the top and they're trying to be champions, so they're bound to dictate the play.

"All we can do is be resolute - we can't guarantee that we're going to win games and stay up.

"We're just trying to work really hard and lift the spirit and confidence in the side.

"I'm really thrilled with this result and it's a massive boost for everyone at the club.''

The Liverpool manager added: ''I have lost some games in my life but this is a strange one.

''I will take it as a blip. We have a young team and I see this as a learning process.

''I am frustrated as much for the players as myself as they put in a lot of effort without any reward.

''Perhaps we were a bit slow when we had the ball but I don't think we deserved to lose today.''