Dirk Kuyt is convinced Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane will soon start scoring for Liverpool despite drawing a blank against relegation favourites Stoke.
Tony Pulis' well-organised, defiant Potters forced an unlikely goalless draw and celebrated as if they had won the Barclays Premier League title.
Their fans, packed into the Anfield Road end, gave it their all as well and Stoke's players responded to hold a team who seven days earlier beat Manchester United on the same pitch.
But Liverpool boss Benitez touched on his problem with a suggestion that Liverpool "needed more ability in the box".
That constitutes a remarkable comment considering he was no doubt referring to Fernando Torres, Robbie Keane and Kuyt, who cost him a combined £50million.
The trio have played 23 games between them this term and notched a total of just two goals.
Benitez will moan, rightly, about referee Andre Marriner's "massive mistake" to deny Steven Gerrard his 100th Liverpool goal. But the unbeaten Anfield men should be able to sweep away such predictable defensive tactics as Stoke employed.
Torres is still clearly suffering from the after-effects on his own amazing summer in winning the Euro 2008 crown for Spain, Keane is working himself into the ground but cannot buy a goal, while Kuyt's work-rate can never be doubted, only his accuracy.
Kuyt believes everything will come right soon, and joined the uproar over the decision to rule-out Gerrard's free-kick goal for offside.
Marriner confirmed afterwards that was the reason the strike did not count, and only served to enrage Liverpool further.
Kuyt said: "It was a perfectly good goal, nobody touched the ball as it curled in and certainly not me. I had no intention of doing anything because the ball was going in and it had not been flicked on or anything like that. I was not interfering with play.
"The referee said there was someone in the eye-line of the 'keeper who was offside."
But Kuyt added: "The goals will come for Fernando and Robbie. Both are trying hard, but Fernando has had an injury and the Euro 2008 finals to recover from. He lasted in them a bit longer than me!
"I went out in the quarter-finals with Holland, so I have had more rest and a better pre-season. Torres has not had that, but the goals will come again.
"Fernando is fit now. You can see his quality, as you can with Robbie. We have no worries, they will score plenty of goals."
Kuyt did not skirt the real issue which cost Liverpool top spot just a couple of hours later when Arsenal won, predictably, at Bolton.
He said: "We had enough chances to score other goals. We worked really hard, had lots of possession, but sometimes you need more luck.
"But we know that many teams come to Anfield and defend like Stoke did. We have just got to be patient and make sure we take the chances we do get, I was guilty of misses too.
"We have lost two points, which after beating Manchester United here is a real blow. But now we must make sure we make up for this.
"Our next league game is at Everton, so we know that will be hard. But we have to make sure we get the points after this.
"That will be the perfect opportunity to make up what we have lost against Stoke."
Pulis was overjoyed, and knew his good fortune.
He said: "To come to one of the greatest clubs in the world and fight like that was magnificent. We even had a decision go our way with that disallowed goal.
"As far as I am concerned, there was nobody offside, and if that is what the referee has said, my view is that I am just happy to have got a point at Anfield and seen a decision go our way.
"We did not have a day off in the week beforehand. We knew we would be under constant pressure and have to face a lot of crosses so we needed to practise defending against them.
"We were confident we have big lads who can handle it and that proved to be the case. It gives us confidence for the rest of the season."
Tony Pulis' well-organised, defiant Potters forced an unlikely goalless draw and celebrated as if they had won the Barclays Premier League title.
Their fans, packed into the Anfield Road end, gave it their all as well and Stoke's players responded to hold a team who seven days earlier beat Manchester United on the same pitch.
But Liverpool boss Benitez touched on his problem with a suggestion that Liverpool "needed more ability in the box".
That constitutes a remarkable comment considering he was no doubt referring to Fernando Torres, Robbie Keane and Kuyt, who cost him a combined £50million.
The trio have played 23 games between them this term and notched a total of just two goals.
Benitez will moan, rightly, about referee Andre Marriner's "massive mistake" to deny Steven Gerrard his 100th Liverpool goal. But the unbeaten Anfield men should be able to sweep away such predictable defensive tactics as Stoke employed.
Torres is still clearly suffering from the after-effects on his own amazing summer in winning the Euro 2008 crown for Spain, Keane is working himself into the ground but cannot buy a goal, while Kuyt's work-rate can never be doubted, only his accuracy.
Kuyt believes everything will come right soon, and joined the uproar over the decision to rule-out Gerrard's free-kick goal for offside.
Marriner confirmed afterwards that was the reason the strike did not count, and only served to enrage Liverpool further.
Kuyt said: "It was a perfectly good goal, nobody touched the ball as it curled in and certainly not me. I had no intention of doing anything because the ball was going in and it had not been flicked on or anything like that. I was not interfering with play.
"The referee said there was someone in the eye-line of the 'keeper who was offside."
But Kuyt added: "The goals will come for Fernando and Robbie. Both are trying hard, but Fernando has had an injury and the Euro 2008 finals to recover from. He lasted in them a bit longer than me!
"I went out in the quarter-finals with Holland, so I have had more rest and a better pre-season. Torres has not had that, but the goals will come again.
"Fernando is fit now. You can see his quality, as you can with Robbie. We have no worries, they will score plenty of goals."
Kuyt did not skirt the real issue which cost Liverpool top spot just a couple of hours later when Arsenal won, predictably, at Bolton.
He said: "We had enough chances to score other goals. We worked really hard, had lots of possession, but sometimes you need more luck.
"But we know that many teams come to Anfield and defend like Stoke did. We have just got to be patient and make sure we take the chances we do get, I was guilty of misses too.
"We have lost two points, which after beating Manchester United here is a real blow. But now we must make sure we make up for this.
"Our next league game is at Everton, so we know that will be hard. But we have to make sure we get the points after this.
"That will be the perfect opportunity to make up what we have lost against Stoke."
Pulis was overjoyed, and knew his good fortune.
He said: "To come to one of the greatest clubs in the world and fight like that was magnificent. We even had a decision go our way with that disallowed goal.
"As far as I am concerned, there was nobody offside, and if that is what the referee has said, my view is that I am just happy to have got a point at Anfield and seen a decision go our way.
"We did not have a day off in the week beforehand. We knew we would be under constant pressure and have to face a lot of crosses so we needed to practise defending against them.
"We were confident we have big lads who can handle it and that proved to be the case. It gives us confidence for the rest of the season."
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