The pundits, the punters and quite probably the players themselves were utterly befuddled upon reading the Liverpool team-sheet for their clash with Portsmouth.
As if it wasn't strange enough that Rafael Benitez used what looked like a 3-6-1 formation, he also opted leave Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso, Albert Riera and Dirk Kuyt out of the starting XI.
That, combined with Steven Gerrard's absence through injury and the recent sale of Robbie Keane, left Reds fans fuming as their side twice conceded the lead to relegation-threatened Pompey.
It was the introduction of goalscorers Kuyt and Torres that sparked the Merseysiders' late comeback, but Benitez has stood by his decision to rest his key men after the draining FA Cup tie against Everton in midweek.
"Torres, Kuyt and Alonso were really tired," he said on Liverpool's official website. "We had to play extra-time with ten men in a Cup replay, and then come here two days later. They were so tired. I talked with the medical and technical staff and made the decision.
"It is not a gamble when you know they are tired. If you ask the players, all of them will say they are fit, but you have to decide based on all the information."
Despite scraping to a 3-2 win in Hampshire thanks to Torres' extra-time header, Liverpool were the better side for much of the game, particularly in the opening half-hour.
Benitez continued, "From the first minute we were playing really well, passing the ball and controlling the game.
"It was really disappointing to make a mistake to concede the goal, and after that another mistake. But we deserved to win because we worked hard and played well."
As if it wasn't strange enough that Rafael Benitez used what looked like a 3-6-1 formation, he also opted leave Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso, Albert Riera and Dirk Kuyt out of the starting XI.
That, combined with Steven Gerrard's absence through injury and the recent sale of Robbie Keane, left Reds fans fuming as their side twice conceded the lead to relegation-threatened Pompey.
It was the introduction of goalscorers Kuyt and Torres that sparked the Merseysiders' late comeback, but Benitez has stood by his decision to rest his key men after the draining FA Cup tie against Everton in midweek.
"Torres, Kuyt and Alonso were really tired," he said on Liverpool's official website. "We had to play extra-time with ten men in a Cup replay, and then come here two days later. They were so tired. I talked with the medical and technical staff and made the decision.
"It is not a gamble when you know they are tired. If you ask the players, all of them will say they are fit, but you have to decide based on all the information."
Despite scraping to a 3-2 win in Hampshire thanks to Torres' extra-time header, Liverpool were the better side for much of the game, particularly in the opening half-hour.
Benitez continued, "From the first minute we were playing really well, passing the ball and controlling the game.
"It was really disappointing to make a mistake to concede the goal, and after that another mistake. But we deserved to win because we worked hard and played well."
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