Rafa Has Four Games To Save Liverpool Career

If under-fire Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez had been hoping for a break in the form of a return to match fitness for his big summer signing Alberto Aquilani, he was sadly mistaken if he thought that fate would throw him a six.

The Spaniard gave an optimistic report on the 25-year-old Italian midfielder's status, saying that the £19m signing from Roma could make it on to the subs bench for the Merseysiders within the fortnight, although a full debut was still some way off.

"Two to three weeks", Benitez estimated. "I have been speaking to the doctors and things are going well with him. Alberto is progressing all the time. It could be two to three weeks before he is back. But we need to use caution." Aquilani has not played a competitive game for more than half a year, having been signed by Liverpool while injured.

"If it is two weeks everyone will say 'that is fantastic' but if it is three, everyone will say it is not a problem," Benitez continued. "We will take it one step at a time and we have the international break to look forward to now. That will be good for him, as he will have some more time."

How Benitez could do with the boost though of being able to field the visionary Italian for the crucial eleven days of football that face Liverpool after the international break and which could decide the manager's future at the club.

Saturday 17th sees a visit to the Stadium of Light to take on Steve Bruce's confident Sunderland, fresh from hold Manchester United at Old Trafford and enjoying one of their best starts to a season for years.

Then French champions Lyon visit Anfield just three days later in the Champions League. Lyon top Group E with six points from two games, and a defeat would leave Liverpool facing a make-or-break return trip to France in early November where they would have to win to stay in Europe.

The next visitors to Anfield on Sunday 25th are Manchester United in the Premier League, and while last season saw Benitez break a seven-year winless sequence against Alex Ferguson's team, the context of their position (unbeaten last season, not so this year) will make for a tense time on the bench.

Finally the club travel to the Emirates for the fourth round game in the Carling Cup against Arsenal. Arsene Wenger may field teams of youngsters in this competition, but a defeat by the second string would surely herald the end of the Benitez era at Anfield.