Five Ways For Rafael Benítez To Fix Liverpool

The international break means that Rafael Benítez has ten days to work out what is going wrong for his underperforming team.

Eleven points behind Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League and facing elimination from the Champions League, the Liverpool manager has a lot on his plate. The Times has identified five things he must do to get their season back on track.

Perform a balancing act
Last summer, Louis van Gaal, the Bayern Munich coach, was musing on the Premier League managers whom he admires most. “Sir Alex Ferguson and Rafael Benítez have their own style and implement their ideas on the pitch,” the Dutchman said. “You can see the influence of the coach in the way their teams play.

“It’s not easy to get top players to play the way you want them to. I’m not very entertained by his defensive style, but I admire how Benítez makes his mark on the club. You can see the team play as he thinks they should.”

What Van Gaal makes of Liverpool now is anyone’s guess.

The conservatism that once characterised Benítez’s teams has been sacrificed. Liverpool carry a much greater attacking threat thanks to the thrusts of Glen Johnson, in particular, but the number of goals they have conceded in 18 games this season — 25 — indicates that the team’s balance is not what it should be.

Hold a summit meeting with the club’s medical staff
Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera are the latest players to suffer muscle injuries. Johnson, Martin Skrtel, Fábio Aurélio, Andrea Dossena, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres have had similar problems this season.

Unless the injuries are brought under control, the chances of Liverpool being able to close the gap on the league leaders will be minimised. One of the most telling statistics of the campaign is that, approaching mid-November, Benítez has yet to be in a position to field his strongest team.

Injuries are part and parcel of the game and every team has to cope with them, but that Liverpool are suffering from so many different muscle strains has to be a concern. A solution needs to be found.

Get the players’ heads right (part 1)
After Monday’s draw with Birmingham City, Riera admitted that there could be a psychological element to Liverpool’s travails. “Our problem could be mental,” the Spain winger said. “Because we — I don’t like saying this — are untidy. I don’t like to use this word, but it’s true we are not used to being in this position.”

There is undoubtedly a pressure that comes with being a Liverpool player. After 19 years without a league title, a couple of defeats is all it takes for crisis talk to emerge and at times in recent seasons such anxiety has been all too evident, particularly when they play at Anfield.

Benítez has often spoken of the need to manage such expectations, but it is questionable whether some, if not all, of his players have the mentality to be able to do this. A sports psychiatrist could be the pressure valve that the Liverpool manager requires.

Get the players’ heads right (part 2)
The furore about the zonal marking system has not helped Liverpool’s biggest problem when it comes to set-pieces: in defence and attack, they simply are not good in the air.

Having lost Sami Hyypia, Peter Crouch and Mohamed Sissoko, three towering presences, in recent seasons, they have become much more susceptible to crosses. Birmingham’s equaliser on Monday was a case in point, with Liverpool losing three headers before the ball ended up in their net.

Liverpool’s players are found wanting when it comes to attacking the ball and this weakness is costing them at both ends of the pitch. Benítez may not be able to make his squad any taller, but training-ground drills could help them to become more aggressive in the air.

Consider dropping the previously undroppable
Having been converted to a right-sided midfield player, Dirk Kuyt has earned his place as a regular starter thanks to a series of consistently diligent displays, not to mention a knack of coming up with crucial goals.

Last season he created more goals than any other out-and-out wide player in the country and finished joint sixth in the Premier League goalscoring charts. This time around, though, the Dutchman is struggling for form and far too many of Liverpool’s attacks are breaking down at his feet.

The 29-year-old’s days as an automatic starter may be numbered. Kuyt still has a role to play owing to his faultless attitude and commitment to the cause, but should he continue to struggle, it may be that he will have to become more of a squad player.

Liverpool Defender Emiliano Insua Dreaming Of World Cup Glory With Argentina

Liverpool left-back Emiliano Insua is eyeing a place in the Argentina squad for next summer's World Cup.

The 20-year-old won his first cap in the recent last-gasp victory over Peru. He is keen to hang on to his place in the team after enjoying a lengthy run in his club side.

"It was very special to play because it was a crucial time for my country," he told BBC Merseyside.

"I will never forget that I helped them to qualify for the World Cup, but I know I have to keep working hard for Liverpool first, then my country.

"It's been a very good season for me, I've played 16 games already, but I want to play more.

"I always want more, but the only thing I can do is keep working hard and look to the future.

"For every player, to play for your country is really special and I want to play in South Africa next year, but Liverpool comes first and if I play well for my club, then I hope that more games for Argentina will follow."

Meanwhile, the youngster feels that bad luck is partly to blame for Liverpool's current poor form.

"We haven't had much luck in recent games," he added.

"In the Champions League we conceded two late goals against Lyon, and in the Premier League we've conceded too many goals from set-pieces despite controlling most games.

"I think we have enough time to change things around and finish the season as high as possible.

"We just have to keep working hard and I'm sure that everything will change."

Ian Rush: Liverpool FC’s Champions League Destiny Will Be Shaped By Fiorentina Showdown

Many are expecting Liverpool’s Champions League fate to be decided a fortnight today but I’m convinced it will boil down to the last game against Fiorentina.

I can see Lyon getting a result in Florence and the Reds seeing off Debrecen to set things up for a Match Day Six showdown at Anfield.

When you think how composed and controlled Liverpool was in Lyon, it is hard to comprehend that they are on the verge of elimination.

If they do go out, though, they will look back with great frustration about the performances at home to Lyon and in Florence.

Lisandro’s last minute goal for the French side summed up how this tournament has gone for us this year and could ultimately end our ambitions.

Should that be the case, Rafa Benitez and his players will have to focus on the job of making sure they are in the Champions League once again next season.

Liverpool: That's Why We Signed Him

When Liverpool paid Portsmouth £18m for Glen Johnson more than a few eyebrows were raised and plenty of those raised were from us Reds fans. The more Johnson plays for Liverpool though the more you can see that he is becoming worth every penny that we paid for him as he adds a whole new dimension to the Reds side.

The England internationals inclusion in Fabio Capello's squad for the match against Brazil seemed strange given the fact that Johnson was injured and had missed our recent matches so returning against Birmingham seemed unlikely. The defender did return though and he showed exactly what we'd been missing in his absence as just about everything that was good about Liverpool against Birmingham came down the right side, with most of this coming through Johnson who tormented the Birmingham defence. Phillip Degen had done fairly well filling in for him but he's not the player that Johnson is really is he.

Plenty of Portsmouth fans came on onto VL when we were rumoured to be chasing their star player saying how good he was, with a number of us not seeming to appreciate this. After we signed him they returned again to VL saying how much they'd miss him and how well they thought he'd do for us and I think they are being proven right. I knew he was good from seeing him on television playing for Portsmouth and England but he's certainly better than I was expecting. He's a defender first and an attacking force second but his defending is fairly good as well, certainly better than I remembered seeing.

Keep up the good work Glen, even though the MOTM poll is saying David Ngog was the Man of the Match against Birmingham it was quite obviously you (again).

Rafa To Move In For Cole

Rafa Benitez will try to solve his Liverpool striker crisis with a £12m move for Carlton Cole.

West Ham may be forced to sell their leading target man in the January transfer window due to a cash crisis at Upton Park.

So Benitez is looking to take advantage with a move for the 26-year-old.

Cole has seen his profile soar after forcing his way into Fabio Capello’s England squad.

Kop boss Benitez is desperate to turn his club’s season around. Liverpool has won only one of their last nine games in all competitions as their season has disintegrated.

They are currently 11 points behind leaders Chelsea after their draw with Birmingham, and face an early exit from the Champions League.

Fernando Torres is out for another three weeks at least with his groin problem. Liverpool has struggled without their main striker as David Ngog and Ryan Babel has proved disappointing back-up.

Forced Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola will do everything he can to stop the move. But he might be forced to let Cole go as the club’s Icelandic owners aim to raise funds in January.

Liverpool are not exactly flush themselves as owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks plan to raise extra investment to help service loans.

They could raise some cash through the sale of Javier Mascherano. The Argentine midfielder is believed to have agreed terms with Spanish and European champions Barcelona, but Liverpool would want a massive £36m.

Liverpool FC Have Psychological Problem, Says Albert Riera

Albert Riera admits Liverpool FC are suffering from a mental block as they struggle to overcome their poor run of form and a crippling injury list.

The 2-2 draw with Birmingham City on Monday means the Anfield outfit has won only one of their last nine games to fall 11 points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Rafael Benitez’s side is also three points off the Champions League qualification places behind Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Manchester City.

While Steven Gerrard marked his return to fitness with the equaliser against Birmingham, Liverpool entered this week’s international break grappling another injury crisis.

Riera and Yossi Benayoun hobbled off with hamstring problems and are today expected to discover the extent of the damage, with Liverpool fearing the midfield pair could be out for up to a month.

Daniel Agger aggravated a back problem that has forced him to withdraw from Denmark’s forthcoming friendlies against South Korea and the United States.

And Fernando Torres missed the game after beginning a three-week course of rehabilitation aimed at ensuring he does not require an operation on a niggling groin injury.

It means the striker is already a major doubt for the visit of Manchester City on Saturday week, the Champions League clash in Hungary against Debrecen four days later and the Goodison derby on November 29.

And Riera said: “We need everybody, not just on the pitch but off it, too, helping each other to be stronger because now our problem could be mental, because we – I don’t like saying this – are untidy,”

“I don’t like to use this word, but it’s true we are not used to being in this position.

“We are in a difficult moment but I think we still have plenty of time and we have to be calm. The first thing is that we want to win every single game, every set of three points and be at the top of the table but at the moment we have to stick together.

“In games like against Birmingham you could see we were trying to do everything, playing wide, between the lines, always going forward, defending with two centre-backs only, full-backs going forward, and we were trying to do all we could to win the game.

“But the other team, with one free-kick and one shot from a long way out, it’s really unlucky because we had a lot of opportunities to kill the game before as well.

“This year, we are really unlucky. I don’t like saying that either, because it’s not only bad luck in football, but it’s true we are trying to change this position and whatever we do is not working.”

Of his injury, the winger said: “It is the same as before, the same feeling, so we will see in the scan but if it’s like the other one it will be three or four weeks.”

Daniel Agger's Back Injury Still Giving Liverpool Manager Rafa Benitez Cause For Concern

Liverpool will work feverishly during the international break to find a solution to Daniel Agger's on-going back problem.

The Denmark international played in last week's Champions League 1-1 draw in Lyon, and also in Monday's stalemate with Birmingham.

But boss Rafa Benitez revealed his concerns about the player's injury problem that has dogged him all season and needed an operation during the summer.

After the 2-2 draw with Birmingham, Benitez talked of the persistent problems facing Fernando Torres and new hamstring injuries for Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun, but it was the worrying performance of Agger that seemed to concern him most.

He said: 'Daniel has more problems with his back, it is a concern for us.'

So much so that Agger has withdrawn from Denmark's friendlies during the international break against South Korea and the USA - his country having already qualified for the World Cup finals.

Benitez's concerns for Agger are explained because he is desperately needed for the next two Barclays Premier League matches against Manchester City and Everton.

Fellow defender Jamie Carragher will be completing his three-match suspension and misses both of those key matches.

If Agger is not fit, Benitez has only a fledgling partnership of Martin Skrtel and Sotirios Kyrgiakos in central defence for those two vital games.

The pairing looked anything but secure in their one game together, the Carling Cup defeat at Arsenal.

Benitez said: 'We thought that Agger would be OK to play against Birmingham, but you could see he was not right, his back was giving him problems again.'

Liverpool will spend the international break nursing Torres and Steven Gerrard back to fitness as they struggle with groin problems.

Benitez would not speculate on whether Torres will be fit to face Manchester City on November 21, suggesting: 'He is having treatment that could keep him out for two or three weeks. Gerrard seems OK, we will be careful with him.'

Both players were omitted from the Spain and England national squads, respectively, for weekend internationals.

Glen Johnson will also look to recover fitness after he pulled out of England's squad to face Brazil.

That will aid Benitez's cause with summer signing Alberto Aquilani finally looking set for an extended run in the side after making his Anfield debut as a second-half substitute against the Blues.

Benitez said: 'The plus points are that Johnson was back and playing well, while Aquilani finally got a chance to play at Anfield.

'It was a difficult time for him to come on, with us battling for the third goal against a packed defence.

'There were negatives with new injuries, but the positives are that we had two players making an impact.'

Javier Mascherano has been called up for Argentina's friendly with Spain on Saturday, but there is no place in Diego Maradona's squad for Emiliano Insua.

Dossena Edging Closer To Exit

Andrea Dossena appears to be edging closer to a move to Napoli after his agent suggested that Liverpool should sell in January.

The Italy defender was close to a switch to Stadio San Paolo in the summer, but the deal broke down amidst suggestions that personal terms could not be agreed.

Dossena's representative, Federico Pastorello, claims wages were not the only stumbling block and that Liverpool did not want to take a substantial financial loss.

The Reds paid Udinese £7million for the left-back in July 2008 and are thought to be keen to regain as much of that fee as possible.

But, with former Treviso player Dossena failing to earn a place in Rafa Benitez's first team, Pastorello believes it is only fair to sell.

Pastorello told Radio Kiss Kiss: "The negotiations in August were real, but the problem was not only the salary.

"Liverpool, in fact, didn't give us the green light to deal with Napoli. The two clubs were not finally agreed.

"What about January? He has played less this year and it is clear that Liverpool have to move him. If Napoli want Dossena, they know how."

Napoli sports director Riccardo Bigon told Radio Marte on Tuesday: "I like Andrea Dossena since he played in Treviso."

He added: "It's early to say names and we do not yet have a problem on the left side thanks to (Jesus) Datolo and (Salvatore) Aronica."

Liverpool's Injured Glen Johnson Pulls Out Of England Squad

Glen Johnson has pulled out of the England squad to face Brazil on Saturday in Doha after picking up a slight injury in Liverpool's 2-2 draw against Birmingham City at Anfield on Monday night.

The 25-year-old played the full 90 minutes of the Premier League game before joining up with his England team-mates, where he underwent a routine recovery session while the rest of the squad trained at London Colney.

It was during this session that his knock became apparent and he will now return to his club for treatment, with the manager, Fabio Capello, at this stage not planning to call up another player for the trip to Qatar to face Dunga's team.

It leaves Wes Brown as the only right-back remaining, although James Milner or Shaun Wright-Phillips could drop back from midfield.

David Beckham is unavailable due to Major League Soccer commitments in the US but Capello's other 22 players from his original squad all trained ahead of the friendly against the South Americans in Doha.

England's fitness coach, Massimo Neri, led the warm-up for the players, then Robert Green, Ben Foster and Joe Hart trained separately with the goalkeeper coach, Franco Tancredi.

With Portsmouth's David James not in the squad due to injury, Green could be in line for a return to the starting XI after starting six consecutive matches before his dismissal against Ukraine, which led to Foster's introduction for the Belarus qualifier.

Reds Help Launch Premier League 4 Sport

Emiliano Insua lent his support as Liverpool and Everton launched the Premier League 4 Sport initiative in the city on Tuesday afternoon.

The Argentina international was joined by Blues defender Sylvain Distin at the event at the Greenbank Sports Academy.

The Premier League 4 Sport scheme aims to introduce four different Olympic sports to youngsters in the region - volleyball, judo, table tennis and badminton.

The initiative hopes to curb the drop-off in young people's participation in sports after leaving secondary school, as well as offering five hours of activities to youngsters as part of the government's 2012 legacy plans.

And Insua and Distin were both quick to get into the spirit of the event, trying their hands at each of the four sports - including judo.

"I think it's important for young people to try different sports when they can," the Reds' No.22 told us.

"When I was younger I used to play in a lot of different sports, and I liked volleyball a lot.

"I'm always keen to try different sports and I enjoy playing table tennis at Melwood after training sometimes.

"It's been good to come along today and play against the kids in some of the sports. It's really important for them to get involved and it's special for me to be able to help out."

Liverpool FC Community Sports Officer Stephen Park added: "Today's event is a good opportunity for the kids to try their hand at the different sports and also help raise the profile of the Premier League's 4 Sport programme. Having the players come along helps us to do that.

"Getting kids to play sports such as football, basketball and cricket might not be too difficult, but badminton, judo, volleyball and table tennis are sports they may tend not to play, so it's good to give them an opportunity to sample them.

"There's a huge drop-off rate in kids joining sports clubs outside of school, so we want to utilise the power of Liverpool and Everton to try and get the kids in and address this.

"But it's also an opportunity to give the kids something to do and be part of something to do with Liverpool and Everton."

With the programme, the Premier League hope to establish a new, vibrant and modern network of young people focused sports clubs which are attractive to, and accessible for, a wide audience of young people.

These 'satellite' clubs will help more young people progress into community sport. The Premier League 4 Sport model will define how schools can reach out to local community sports clubs, and will enable community sports clubs to reach out more effectively towards schools.

Reds PR manager Brian Hall said: "In a city like ours, football is, without any shadow of a doubt, the dominant sport.

"But not everybody is into football or interested in playing it, so why not encourage young people to take an active part in other sports?

"You don't have to play the sport seriously, it just has to be enjoyable. There are also social aspects to this and it promotes a healthier lifestyle.

"By using the brand names and bringing along first-team players, it really does help promote the whole concept of Premier League 4 Sports."

Liverpool FC Head of Community Bill Bygroves admits he has been delighted to work alongside on the pitch rivals Everton in helping to launch the initiative.

"It's vitally important for Liverpool Football Club to be involved in initiatives such as this," he said.

"In our city, where it is very competitive between the two clubs, it's good to remind people that we want to keep the passion, but lose the poison.

"We want to work together in community activities where we can, to encourage young people to get involved in all sorts of different activities."

Everton's Jackie Twort added: "It's really important for kids to have the opportunity to try something different, particularly in Liverpool where the dominant sport is football. This programme is definitely the way forward."

Benitez Wants To Be Realistic

Rafa Benitez is refusing to look any further ahead than Liverpool's next game as he hopes his side experience a change in fortunes.

The Reds drew 2-2 with Birmingham at Anfield on Monday night to leave them 11 points adrift of Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Benitez's men had already been ruled out of the title race by some critics, but the Spaniard has always remained adamant that his side were contenders.

However, the former Valencia boss has now played down his team's dreams of league silverware, while also calling for realism as Liverpool aim to end a disappointing run of results.

He said: "We have to be realistic and think what our target is now. For me it is just the next game, the next point to see whether we can climb a little higher in the table.

"Then you never know what can happen. We did win six games in a row, if we did that again everything would be different.

"The main thing now is to get players fit, and see who we have available for the next game after the international break.

"We will then wait for some months to pass and see whether we can win some games in succession. That is all I am looking at now."

Benitez added: "People keep discussing our bad run, but previously we won six on the trot and we have beaten Manchester United.

"It is a question of keeping going. I would be really worried if we were not playing well and not winning. But I can see that we are beginning to play better, it is a question of luck now.

"Maybe people think that I am angry about all this. But when I see the players working so hard, trying to change our situation, there is nothing more to say to them, they are doing all they can.

"This is the only way to change our situation. To keep working hard and play well, and I believe we did play well against Birmingham."

Liverpool Full-Back Emiliano Insua Insists Title Challenge Is Not Over

Liverpool full-back Emiliano Insua claims the Reds can still be crowned Premier League champions this season, but results must improve soon if that aspiration is to be fulfilled.

Despite dominating for large parts of the game, Liverpool could only manage a 2-2 draw against Birmingham City at Anfield on Monday night, a result that leaves Rafael Benitez's side sitting outside the top four and a full 11 points behind leaders Chelsea.

The draw will prove a bitter pill to swallow for Reds supporters, especially when considering the nature of David Ngog's controversial dive to earn a penalty for the equaliser, although Insua is remaining upbeat.

"Right now we are a little bit far [behind] but you have to keep going and everything can change," he told Sky Sports News.

The Argentine pointed to a run of form that last season saw Liverpool finish just two points behind eventual champions Manchester United; form that he hopes can be replicated.

"Last season we were ten points behind and we finished two points [behind], so we have to keep going and winning games is the most important thing."

Liverpool Will Take It One Game At A Time - Rafael Benitez

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has explained that his side will take things one game at a time as they look to overcome a miserable run of results - the latest being a 2-2 draw against Birmingham City at Anfield.

The Reds are enduring their worst spell in decades, as they have only one victory from nine outings in all competitions. Furthermore, star striker Fernando Torres heads a lengthy injury list that shows no signs of shortening.

"I think that for the last three weeks to a month, it's been the same," Benitez is quoted on FIFA.com as saying.

"We only think about one game at a time so I can't talk about anything else, just three points, so I won't talk about the table or positions.

"We won six games in a row before and when we were under pressure we won against Manchester United, playing really well, and the character has been fantastic but we couldn't achieve the three points against Birmingham."

The Merseysiders take on Manchester City at home after the international break.

Johnson - Reds Record Awful

Glen Johnson believes Liverpool must stick together to bring an 'awful' sequence of results to an end.

The Reds had to come from 2-1 down to hold Birmingham to a draw on Monday night in a match at Anfield they were firm favourites to win.

Rafa Benitez's men have picked up just one victory in their last nine matches in all competitions, while they remain 11 points adrift of Premier League leaders Chelsea and are in danger of being knocked out of the UEFA Champions League.

Johnson admits that such a run is simply not good enough but he is refusing to panic and insists Liverpool can turn the situation around if they approach future challenges with the right attitude.

"The record sounds awful and it is awful for a club like Liverpool. But things like this happen in football. You stick together and keep fighting," said the right-back.

"We have seen in the league that everyone can beat everyone; if someone had told you at the start of the season that we'd win one in nine, you'd have laughed your head off.

"We will just look to get as many points as we can as quickly as possible then have a look at the end of the season and see where we are."

Benitez still has a number of fitness concerns following the clash with Birmingham but Johnson maintains there were positives to take from the performance if not the result.

"Unfortunately we have picked up a couple more injuries but the sooner we get the lads back together the better it will be for everyone," said Johnson, who provided an attacking threat on his return from a calf problem.

"I am one of the worst when it comes to being injured. I can barely watch when that happens and all you want to do is help out.

"You just have to listen to your body. I have had a problem with my groin and torn my calf. It has been very frustrating but now I am looking to get going properly."

On the draw with Birmingham, Johnson said: "We want to be winning these games and I felt we did more than enough to take three points but it just wasn't meant to be.

"You could say we could have dealt with the first (Birmingham goal) better but (Cameron) Jerome has hit the strike of his life for their second goal.

"We had chances, we dominated the game and you can see everyone was working for the cause. It's just one of those times for us at the minute and we just need to keep working.

"As long as we keep showing the togetherness and passion that we did here, then I am sure we will come through with a smile on our face."

James Ellison On Target As Liverpool FC Under-18s Bounce Back From Derby Defeat

James Ellison fired the winner as Liverpool under-18s bounced back from their derby defeat to beat Crewe Alexandra 1-0 at the Kirkby Academy.

Rodolfo Borrell’s side provided a positive response to last week’s 2-0 home defeat to Everton. The only downside was that their dominance wasn’t reflected in the final scoreline. But thankfully Ellison’s first-half strike was enough to claim all three points against the Railwaymen on Saturday.

Liverpool almost took the lead within the first five minutes, but Andre Wisdom failed to connect with a right-wing corner.

Borrell’s side made much of the running throughout but they were thankful to goalkeeper Deale Chamberlain, who saved superbly from Mike Koral to make sure they didn’t fall behind early on. While on 20 minutes Cheyenne Dunkley was just wide for the visitors.

Liverpool, though, always held the upper hand and they confirmed their superiority when taking the lead just before the half-hour mark. Wisdom’s cross was turned in from close range by Ellison.

Crewe almost levelled just before half-time but John Stephen’s shot went just wide.

Liverpool failed to fashion too many clear chances despite dominating possession, but on the hour Stephen Sama was just off target with a header following Tom Ince’s free-kick.

The home side continued to press forward and substitute Michael Ngoo hit the bar, while Jack Robinson had another effort ruled out for offside.

Despite continuing to press forward Liverpool had to settle for just Ellison’s strike, but are happy to have hit back following last week’s loss.

Liverpool will aim to build on the win over Crewe when they travel to face Wolverhampton Wanderers this Saturday (kick-off 11.30am).

They are now up to fifth in the Group C table and are eight points off leaders Blackburn Rovers and just three behind second-placed Manchester United.

Injury Problems Mount For Troubled Boss Benitez

Rafael Benitez will be a relieved man that the international break has finally arrived, hopeful that some of his injured players will return to fitness ahead of a crucial clash against Manchester City at Anfield on November 21.

Liverpool suffered more injury woe in the disappointing 2-2 draw at home to Birmingham City on Monday, with Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun both forced off.

Riera has suffered a stop-start season for the Reds, with his appearance against Blues being his first in a Liverpool shirt for over a month with a hamstring injury. The Spain international suffered a recurrance of the problem when stretching for a ball in the box and faces weeks on the sidelines.

More troublesome to Benitez is the injury suffered to Benayoun, one of the few bright spots this season and a player who has done much to try and fill the void left by Steven Gerrard. Benayoun also injured his hamstring late in the game and must be extremely doubtful to face City.

Fernando Torres, who declared himself unfit to face Birmingham, is also rated no better than doubtful to make a game which, if Liverpool were to lose, could have long-term implications on their ability to qualify for the Champions League next season.

Gerrard, although looking well short of match fitness, made a huge difference after being introduced for Riera just before half-time and, after a further two weeks of training and treatment, he should improve for the City game.

And Denmark defender Daniel Agger has withdrawn from November friendlies against South Korea and the United States with a back injury.

Liverpool face a hugely testing week once the international break is over.

Three days after facing City, Liverpool must travel to Hungary to play Debrecen in a must-win Champions League game which would be rendered meaningless by a Fiorentina win over Lyon in the other group game that night. Then, the following Sunday, comes the Merseyside derby at Everton's Goodison Park home.

Benitez hopes the international break has come at the right time, but is taking nothing for granted. He told the club's official website: "I will tell you after the break because every time we lose one or two players. I'm touching wood.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez Rules Out Fernando Torres Operation

Rafael Benitez is unsure when Liverpool striker Fernando Torres will recover from his problematic groin injury but has said the Spaniard does not need surgery.

Torres missed Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Birmingham last night with Benitez confirming afterwards that he remains a doubt for their next game against Manchester City on Nov 21.

"Torres had no confidence and said he couldn't play (against Birmingham), so we started the treatment yesterday," Benitez said.

"He has to work with the physios and try to improve and be ready. We are not talking about an operation at this moment.

"I don't know if he will be ready for Man City."

David Ngog And Liverpool Caught In ‘Cheat’ Row

Birmingham City left Anfield seething with injustice last night after being denied victory over Liverpool because of a controversial penalty won by David Ngog, who they accused of “an embarrassing case of cheating”.

Liverpool were trailing when Ngog went down in the penalty area under a challenge by Lee Carsley. It appeared that no contact had been made but Peter Walton, the referee, awarded a penalty. Steven Gerrard scored from the spot to secure a 2-2 draw, to the outrage of Carsley and Alex McLeish, the Birmingham manager.

“I was absolutely nowhere near him,” an enraged Carsley said. “It’s a joke. I knew I didn’t touch him and I said to the referee to book me or send me off, it would have made me feel better. I’m sure he [Ngog] has got a family, well if I went home having done that, I’d be embarrassed. You’re supposed to be teaching your kids an example and that is just an embarrassing case of cheating.

“But the lad’s taken a chance and got his team a point so I’m sure they’ll be patting him on the back.”

Even Rafael Benítez did not attempt to protect his player after Ngog admitted that it probably was not a penalty. But the Liverpool manager claimed that the result was a fair one even if the manner in which it was earned was not.

“It was a pity to score from a penalty that maybe wasn’t a penalty but we deserved to score more goals in the second half,” Benítez said. “It could be a dive, but it wasn’t a penalty. But we have had a lot of situations this year that have gone against us, and this was one for us from a game where we deserved more. It’s important to be honest about these things.

“If it’s clear, then it is clear. Sometimes you have to accept it. We were attacking and attacking and deserved to win, but maybe it wasn’t a penalty. I haven’t seen the replay. I asked David and he said maybe it wasn’t a penalty.”

The draw leaves Liverpool with only one win from their past nine matches and 11 points behind Chelsea, the Barclays Premier League leaders. Their form will do little to relieve the pressure on Benítez.

Ngog had earlier given Liverpool the lead only for Birmingham to storm in front thanks to goals from Christian Benítez and Cameron Jerome, but the penalty incident was the big talking point long after the final whistle.

McLeish said the final scoreline left a sour taste in his mouth.

He also claimed that Walton will acknowledge that he made a mistake in awarding the controversial penalty once he has had the opportunity to watch the game again.

“It is a great point and I’d have taken that before the game but circumstances in the game change your outlook and I feel we were unlucky not to get three,” McLeish said. “It is a clear dive by Ngog and he’s won his team a penalty. It has happened for centuries and we have to take it on the chin.

“He [Peter Walton] is a top referee but he didn’t get that one right and I’m sure when he looks at it again he’ll see that Ngog dived. It was a terrific dive. Lee didn’t touch him. Lee dived in and when you dive in you are always at risk but there was no contact.

“Sometimes there is a debate over a penalty when there is contact but there was none here. It was not even close to being a penalty. We had to weather a storm, Gerrard hit a post and had a few late runs into the box but I thought my team and my defenders were awesome. It was backs to the wall but I didn’t feel we were going to lose a goal.

“Maybe I’ll look back on it tomorrow and think we’ll never have a better chance of getting three points at Anfield. The pressure Liverpool put on means they’ll claim they deserved at least a draw but you also need luck and it seems the bigger clubs get more over a season.”

Match Report: Liverpool 2 - 2 Birmingham City

Steven Gerrard's hotly-disputed second-half penalty rescued a point for Liverpool but did little to lift the pressure on boss Rafael Benitez.

It is just one win now in nine matches for the Reds and they must be grateful for the two-week international break which will allow the dust to settle on their faltering season.

It had started so well for the hosts with youngster David Ngog firing them into an early lead.

But Ecuadorian Christian Benitez's nodded equaliser and Cameron Jerome's thunderous 35-yarder had Birmingham ahead at the break.

And only a hotly-contested spot-kick - which TV replays showed should not have been awarded as Lee Carsley made no contact with Ngog with his attempted tackle - gave Liverpool their lifeline, Gerrard sliding it home.

Fernando Torres did not even get a substitutes' role, the Spain striker now clearly being given a lengthy rest to recover from his groin problem.

Gerrard, with a similar if less severe injury, was named on the bench along with Alberto Aquilani.

Glen Johnson, Albert Riera and Martin Skrtel all returned from injury, with Jamie Carragher suspended.

Birmingham had Joe Hart back in goal while they were without Barry Ferguson, also suspended, so Teemu Tainio came into the side.

Liverpool went with the 20-year-old Ngog up front and Dirk Kuyt, captain for the night, in a central supporting role.

Of all Liverpool's young imports, Ngog has looked the most likely to make the breakthrough this season, and his balance and clever control were soon in evidence.

Hart saved one Ngog effort before the France Under-21 striker gave Liverpool a 13th-minute lead. Johnson surged down the right, cutting between two defenders before crossing for Ngog who saw his first effort blocked by Hart.

The ball flew to Kuyt only for Hart to again get his legs in the way, but when the rebound dropped for Ngog he made no mistake with a fierce a close-range volley into the roof of the net.

Tainio limped of two minutes later, former Everton midfielder Carsley coming on in his place.

Liverpool had been cruising up till now, but Birmingham struck back with an impressive set-piece, and once again Liverpool's susceptibility in the air was evident.

James McFadden fired a free-kick into the area and Roger Johnson headed back across goal where Scott Dann nodded on for Benitez to head past Jose Reina from close range.

Hart touched over a Javier Mascherano drive, and Daniel Agger saw a low shot following a corner kicked off the line by Carsley as Liverpool tried to hit back.

A minute from the break Riera, who had appeared to be on a solo bid to score from outside the box at almost every opportunity, suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury, and Gerrard was brought into the fray as a substitute.

His arrival was met with huge cheers from the Kop, but the home crowd was silenced within seconds as Birmingham took the lead.

Jerome shook off the attentions of Mascherano to lash a swerving 35-yard effort into the top corner.

The confidence Liverpool had shown in the first half hour evaporated and, with the crowd's anxiety growing, errors in possession increased.

Gerrard saw a low header hit Hart's left-hand post from Johnson's cross from the right as Liverpool at last produced some sustained pressure.

McFadden was booked for a foul on Johnson, the Scot being substituted soon after to be replaced by former Red Gregory Vignal.

Liverpool were then awarded the highly-contentious 71st-minute penalty.

Ngog did well to get to the byline and went sprawling to the turf as Carsley came in with a sliding challenge, even though the Birmingham man's leg did not touch the Liverpool youngster.

Carsley and Ngog exchanged views and pushes, and referee Peter Walton booked both before Gerrard stepped up to drill home the spot kick.

Liverpool then lost Benayoun with a hamstring complaint, Ryan Babel coming on.

Gerrard fired over a cross for Ngog to hit wide at the near post before sending an 18-yarder just wide.

With nine minutes left Aquilani finally made his Anfield debut as a substitute for Lucas.

The visitors were forced to defend desperately in the final minutes but they clung on valiantly for a point.

Liverpool Confident Of Reaching Champions League Last 16

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has not given up hope of qualifying for the later stages of the Champions League this season.

Escaping the group stages is looking like an uphill struggle for the Reds after losses to both Lyon and Fiorentina, who currently occupy the top two places in the group.

But the Spaniard still believes Liverpool can seize the possibility and, even if they fail to go beyond their group, will not be affected financially.

"I spoke to Christian Purslow [Liverpool's managing director] the other day about the finances," he said, according to skysports.com.

"The first thing, though, is that we have confidence we can still reach the last 16 of the Champions League this season.

"But whatever happens, the budget was done for this season based on us only qualifying for the group stages. And we did that, which is complete.

"Whether we can still bring in more money, we will wait and see. The commercial department is working very hard, for the next season [in Europe] it is a question of time."

Benitez is also sure his team will qualify for Europe's most prestigious competition again next year, despite currently sitting a long way outside the top four.

He added: "The Premier League is a long race, we must keep going. I am confident the team will finish in the top four and we are able to continue to do well in Europe, so let's start against Birmingham [on Monday] with the right result.

"We have to do our job against Birmingham, and then I can guarantee that things will start to get easier."