The petty bickering between Tom Hicks and George Gillett, both owning 50-50 share in Liverpool as a result of their 219 million pounds take over in February 2007, was meant to be a time bomb. Both are businessmen, united by the desire for profits, but their styles are as different as chalk and cheese.

Tom Hicks favors an abrasive approach and has no qualms about ruffling feathers while George Gillett prefers to work behind the scene. I cannot say who is the angel here because the way I look at it, there are none. Given half a chance, they will strip anything which can be termed as an asset in no time at all.

The troubles seem to have abated for a while after Hicks rejected the 400 million pound takeover by Dubai International Capital (DIC) last month. However, old wounds were opened out of the blue when Hicks rehashed the Jurgen Klinsman meeting and called for Liverpool’s chief executive Rick Parry to be sacked.

Hicks insisted he was not behind the approach to Klinsmann that unsettled Benitez. On that infamous meeting, he said: “George became good friends with Klinsmann a year ago. He and Rick set up the meeting in New York. I did go to the meeting along with my son Tom. Rick had already met with Jurgen alone for a couple of hours when we arrived.”

I believe all the parties who have no financial interests in the deal have become pawns for the Americans to get more money out of any possible takeover deals and each wants to gobble up the other’s share to maximize profit.

Look at the other maneuvers from Hicks. He wants to buy out Gillett and extend Rafa’s contract (to align him as an ally). He is aiming for a debt-free club and will seek more money from investors to buy players and build a new stadium. He also claims that DIC is destabilizing the club through the media and Parry is a “disaster.”

The charges leveled against Parry are as follows: a communication breakdown with Benitez, slow dealings in the transfer market, mediocrity at attracting sponsorship, investment and merchandising deals. According to Hicks, Liverpool cannot compete commercially with the Premier League rivals in Asia where they have a large fan base and the new stadium should have been built three years ago.

Hicks also took a fresh swipe at Gillett, warning that the stalemate over the club’s future will continue until he agrees to sell his stake. The former admitted their relationship has now completely broken down. He disliked the “difficult” 50-50 business proposition because nothing can be done without the other’s approval.

In return, Gillett responded by backing Parry and added to the mudslinging by launching an attack on Hicks. He said: “Tom needs to understand that I will not sell my shares to him and we need to find a way forward that is truly in the best interests of Liverpool Football Club. I am saddened at this latest outburst from Tom Hicks.”

“If Tom wanted a serious discussion on the issues to help the club move forward, he should bring his views to the board and not to Sky Sports. Here we are, a few days away from a vital Champions League semi-final match and Tom has once again created turmoil. Tom should stop. He knows that Rick Parry has my support.”

It is clear that both owners will not walk away from this mess empty-handed. Destroying Liverpool in the process is of no concern to them. In fact, I have to salute them for closing a great business deal – a 40-50 million dollar profit in each of their pockets for doing nothing except laying on more debts for the club and squabbling.

Of the duo who have no passion in soccer, I will prefer to see Gillet remaining as the lesser of two evils. He manages his NFL club in much the same way as what he is doing now, staying in the background and not fueling the media’s obsession on critical club issues. Hicks, on the other hand, washes dirty linen in public and loves to work the media; for good or bad, the club can do without such attention.

Currently, the board consists of 6 members, it is impossible for Hicks to veto a sale of Gillett’s stake to DIC. Though Hicks does not have enough money to buy out Gillett, it is immaterial since the latter doesn’t want to sell to his partner. If Parry and David Moores are forced out, the situation will turn in favor of Hicks (though the power is still finely balanced) as DIC’s attempt to barge in is held at bay.

I believe there is little love lost between Parry and Liverpool fans and nobody will shed tears if Parry is removed tomorrow. Not because it pleases Hicks but Parry deserves the treatment since he invited the Americans to bid for Liverpool, convincing all and sundry that this is good for the club. So far, the “attractive investment” has only given the club a bad reputation and excessive liabilities.

It is unfortunate that the latest war of words has to come when Liverpool is preparing to face Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final. But at least, it may deflect some attention away from Benitez’s team selection for Saturday’s Premier League game at Fulham. A win for Liverpool would kill off Everton’s hopes of qualifying for Champions League but Benitez may consider resting key players with Tuesday’s Champions League game in mind. Steven Gerrard is not likely to play.

A year ago, Benitez sent out second-stringers a for the penultimate game of the season as he rested most of his first XI ahead of the Champions League final against AC Milan. They were beaten 1-0 by a Fulham side that stayed afloat from this victory but Sheffield United were relegated eight days later.

Nevertheless, I believe Benitez is keen to gun for a victory to secure fourth spot as soon as possible. They will be eight points ahead of Everton and one more point will close the issue of Champions League qualification. Benitez said: “I want to win against Fulham, I know everyone is talking about other things, but I am a professional and I want to concentrate on football.

Though Benitez has downplayed the distractions, mentally, there is bound to have some effect on the players. In this instance, I have to credit Benitez for turning adversity into strength. His players are playing with confidence and professionalism; despite occasional humps, they are showing an amazing resilience.

Coming out unbeaten in the triple header against Arsenal is not an easy task and being the bogey man for Chelsea, reaching the finals of the Champions League should not be a problem. Character-wise, Liverpool still weave their magic with regularity whenever the odds are stacked against them. No matter how we belittle Benitez’s role in Liverpool’s success, we cannot ignore the fact that Liverpool had not been as ruthless in Europe for a long time, that is, not until the Spaniard came in.

Liverpool need to sign a few more quality players and they have made Gareth Barry their no. 1 target. Barry is likely to choose Liverpool over Chelsea, unless of course, the salary offered by Roman Abramovich is enough to compensate the undesirable thought of playing for Avram Grant.

There is a strong bond between Gerrard and Barry, having known each other for over a decade. They complement each other well, Gerrard is freed from his defensive duties and he is free to run at defenders and get into scoring positions, besides supplying killer passes to Torres. Barry is strong and composed as a holding midfielder and his versatility allows him to double up as a left back. Though his forte is not in scoring goals, he reads the game well and his distribution, as well as pinpoint deliveries of set-pieces, are an asset to any team.

They have forged a stable partnership in the England set-up and it is likely to continue for future campaigns. Playing for the same club would further reinforce their mutual understanding. Though Liverpool and Chelsea can offer Barry the chance to compete for multiple titles, a move to Stamford Bridge smacks of money while there is a more positive feeling of self development when joining Benitez.

I am also in favor of Benitez bolstering the squad with more wingers like Ribery and Bentley and signing another striker to support Torres. This is to prevent an over-dependence on the Torres-Gerrard partnership which can derail their challenge when either player is incapacitated for several months.

If Benitez gets his way and sign the players he desires (more of Torres and Mascherano’s calibre), there is no reason why the Premier League title cannot come back to Anfield. But let’s not be too optimistic as the promise of transfer funds is most likely a smoke-screen. The signing of Mascherano was dragged for a long time, not surprising, considering there is little money in the coffers.

We also cannot be sure who will be at the helm next season. Because of the loans arrangement, Benitez may even have to sell off Torres and Babel if the banks forced such a move next season when the payments are due and not forthcoming. I wouldn’t count on the situation improving for next season until Liverpool gets their house in order.

Keegan adopted the same 4-3-3 formation and players which gained a valuable point against Birmingham City. With Viduka, Owen and Obafemi Martins forming a dangerous front line, Newcastle were always dangerous in attack. However, the midfield of Nicky Butt, Joey Barton and Geremi was a letdown. They were constantly overrun by Fulham as Jimmy Bullard orchestrated play superbly.

Due to the ineffective midfield, full-backs Jose Enrique and Habib Beye were caught in vulnerable positions but a combination of luck, poor finishing and good goalkeeping by Harper spoiled Fulham’s night.

In the 6th minute, Viduka relieved the tension as he turned on Geremi’s pass to fire a left-footed shot into the bottom corner. The striker then headed horribly wide in the 19th minute and Martins could have doubled the lead if Keller had not saved at full stretch four minutes later.

Keller was again agile enough to deny Owen’s long range shot and a close range header. As the first half came to a close, Fulham made a concerted effort to eradicate the deficit. Newcastle heaved a sigh of relief when Bullard’s shot dipped nastily in front of Harper. The whistle couldn’t have come at a better time for the Magpies as Fulham were starting to pry open Newcastle’s frail defense.

The second half began in similar fashion with Fulham gaining possession but Newcastle’s attack was more lethal. Viduka saw his 49th-minute header blocked at point-blank range and Martins fired just over the bar. Barton, enjoying a rare moment of inspiration, went for goal himself but his blistering strike from 25 yards flew just wide.

Newcastle knew a second goal was vital and they were determined to pound Fulham’s defense into submission. Martins had the ball in the net but it was deemed offside. Geremi then had a great chance in a goal mouth scramble, but the second goal still would not come. Finally, with seven minutes remaining, Newcastle’s wish came true. Owen timed his run to perfection to meet Geremi’s free-kick and glance home a deft header to spark mass celebrations.

Keegan was visibly relieved, saying: “It will stop people saying they haven’t won under [me]. When we had to dig in as a team, we stuck together. I can feel a good spirit around the place, we just needed a win to endorse that. It was thoroughly deserved.”

I am not so sure about the win being “thoroughly deserved.” Even though three points are in the bag, it was not a convincing display, I saw enough of the worst of Newcastle in this match to ascertain they are riding on luck and if it is any consolation, the winds of fortune is now blowing in their direction.

In terms of effort and commitment, Keegan’s men cannot be faulted but their disjointed display left the fans on tenterhooks till the final minutes. But the Toons are not complaining, any win, whether ugly or lucky, will do. I believe the fans have already tempered their expectations that Keegan can perform miracles and they can qualify for Europe by charging into the top four. Currently, nothing is more important than staying afloat in the Premier League.

Viduka, who has recently returned to the side after niggling injuries, is slowly finding his way back as a poacher. Though he is not a quality striker in terms of pace, creativity and accuracy, he does pack a powerful shot and holds the ball well. When he is firing on all cylinders, Newcastle can expect him to contribute his fair share of goals.

As for Owen, what else needs to be said. Based on his reputation, he should be netting at least 30 goals a season. Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved the target and since Kevin Keegan emphasized on a cavalier approach where to win means to outscore the opponents, the conditions are right for Owen to show his true worth. He has continued his scoring mode and barring injuries, Newcastle can bank on his momentum to climb above the danger zone.

Keegan praised the contribution of Owen, saying: “He’s been absolutely superb, not just for his goals but for his leadership on the field. He’s a great team player.”

Newcastle are now in 13th position, six points above Bolton Wanderers. Winning against Fulham whose away form is deplorable (zero league win in 32 games), is little cause for celebration. There are many aspects which need improvement, especially the midfield and defense. I am not optimistic that Kevin Keegan is tactically superior enough to fix these deficiencies.

While expecting immediate revival is too much to ask for, Keegan has to achieve at least 40 points and steer clear of relegation. That is what we will expect Sam Allardyce to do in the first place and in this respect, Allardyce must get some credit as he has accumulated sufficient points for Keegan to experience a nine match winless streak and still retain a safety margin.

But any judgment for Kevin Keegan should be reserved for next season. He deserves a chance to build up his own team and the funds must be available for him to do so. I will like to see him signing a bunch of world-class defenders but the worry is that the best defense at his disposal may end up as a waste.

He has already stated his intention to provide a rip-roaring time for the fans (even if the current form suggest otherwise), and I doubt if he will deviate from his attacking philosophy. In this case, I think he will continue to buy exciting strikers and hopefully, it is sufficient for them to win matches.

Initially, Fulham seemed ready to give Arsenal a hard time as they scrapped for every loose ball and kept their shape well. Alas, once Arsenal settled down and got into their stride, it was a different story. The famous one-touch passing was in full flow and the home team was chasing shadows. Unable to win the ball back and losing it cheaply in the middle of the park, they had no choice but to sit back and defend in numbers.

That gave Arsenal the license to romp in their half of the pitch. But for all their dominance, no goals materialize as the Gunners try to walk the ball into the net. Two tame Cesc Fabregas shots and a high Adebayor volley barely threatened the keeper Anti Niemi.

It was only when the Gunners attacked down the flanks and utilized the width to pull Fulham’s defenders out of position that the rewards were reaped. All three goals came from crosses, which were delivered superbly and helped by weak defending. Credit must go to Rosicky, Alexander Hleb and Gael Clichy, who terrorised Fulham with their overlapping runs.

Emmanuel Adebayor had taken his tally for the season to 15 goals. Fulham’s aerial deficiency were exposed as Adebayor rose, not once but twice to head the crosses precisely into the net. Cesc Fabregas then came within inches of scoring, poking just wide after a delightful run by Hleb on the right. The third goal, which affirmed Arsenal’s complete superiority came shortly after; Rosicky, racing in with perfect timing, met the cross of Eduardo with a stab past Niemi from six yards.

Arsenal’s makeshift defense is holding up but then, they were hardly tested. Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia could have dozed off without anyone noticing. Senderos who was a disgrace since his return from injury put up a credible show but to say he is back to his best, based on the quality of their opponent, is stretching the truth.

Wenger is happy with the result, saying: “That was just what we needed after the disappointing result against Birmingham last week. We were in control of the game for all 90 minutes.”

He added that several changes will be made for the decisive second leg of the Carling Cup semi-final away to Tottenham on Tuesday. “The ones who didn’t play today will get a chance then.”

Arsenal make light of the injury of Robin Van Persie who had returned back to Holland for rehabilitation, and Emmanuel Eboue, Kolo Toure and Alexandre Song are representing their African countries in the Ghana tournament. It is lucky that Togo did not qualify, as Adebayor is now playing a pivotal role for the Gunners.

As for Fulham manager Roy Hodgson, the man in the hot seat, he cut a forlorn figure well before the end, having now lost each of his three league games, and is in urgent need of his first win in Tuesday’s FA Cup replay away to Bristol Rovers. The curse at Blackburn Rovers seems likely to repeat itself.

“This was not satisfactory, of course,” Hodgson said. “We weren’t able to create pressure on them at any stage and in certain areas, especially wide, we didn’t win enough challenges.”

Roy Hodgson’s battle to lift Fulham here was not helped by the suspension of Paul Konchesky, injury of Brede Hangeland and Diomansy Kamara’s absence on African Cup of Nations duty with Senegal.

It is a surprise to see the effective Jimmy Bullard, starting on the bench against such a top-notch opponent. When he did join the fray, it was too late as Arsenal had raced to a 2-0 lead and effectively game over.

Too many of their players are plainly not up to Premier League standard, and when Roy Hodgson looked to the bench for inspiration, he can only sent on Bullard, David Healy and finally Shefki Kuqi but there was no significant improvement on the pitch.

Roy Hodgson said: “Confidence is not high when you’re not winning matches and it’s difficult when you’re facing a team as skillful and good at keeping the ball as Arsenal. We kept at our task and didn’t throw in the towel but we didn’t threaten them nearly enough and it was a comfortable victory for them.”

Bristol Rovers will fancy their chances, then Fulham face a real relegation dogfight at Bolton. At the moment, the Premier League table for the top three remains unchanged as United and Chelsea continue their impressive run, so it is likely the race is going right to the wire.

Next up for Arsenal are Newcastle in the FA Cup and the Premier League but first they have to clear the Carling Cup second leg hurdle against Spurs. All not easy matches, Ramos is itching for a win and King Kev is no push-over either, it is important that Arsenal’s tattered defense weather the storm, else it will be a serious setback for their title hopes.

In Roy Hodgson, he now places his faith that better days are ahead. Nevertheless, Hodgson has wasted no time in showing that the battle to stay in the top flight will be anything but easy.

While his counterpart stares into the abyss, Chelsea manager Avram Grant can savor a sweet 2-1 victory at Craven Cottage after gathering a respectable 10 points out of 12 in the hectic Christmas period while struggling with a long injury list. Chelsea FC remain third and in the hunt for the Premiere League title – a remarkable feat, no less.

To be fair, Fulham had their chances and gave a good account of themselves but for all their positive play, they were unable to make it count against a largely reserve Chelsea squad which is still formidable when you add up the experience and class of their players.

The match began brightly enough for Fulham when striker Diomansy Kamara tested Chesea’s third-choice goalkeeper Hilario with a low shot. Hodgson must felt that his Premiere League curse is over when Fulham were awarded a penalty after Joe Cole tripped Moritz Volz. Danny Murphy coolly converted from the spot.

Falling behind jolted The Blues into action. Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou who had been criticized for poor performances, was their most dangerous player in the first half. He had the ball in the net in the 17th minute but it was disallowed for handball. In the 26th minute, keeper Niemi charged to the edge of his box and hauled down Kalou, it could have been a penalty or free-kick if not for Kalou’s offside position.

Fulham had a superb chance to add a second goal in the 35th minute. Chelsea’s right-back Juliano Belletti misjudged the ball which fell to Simon Davies but he could not control the momentum when he checked inside and Chelsea cleared the danger. Fulham paid the price for not killing off the match as Chelsea finally equalized in the 54th minute. Alex headed Belletti’s corner back across goal for Kalou, who got the better of Volz to crash in a header.

Chelsea then took the lead in the 62nd minute when Ballack tumbled in the penalty box following some shirt tugging by Clint Dempsey. He fired it into the same spot as Murphy and Chelsea were home and dry. In the post-match interview, Ballack admitted it took some stinging half-time criticism from Avram Grant to lift them out of their lethargy.

“We couldn’t keep playing like we did in the first half so we changed a lot. We put pressure on Fulham and it was better for us. It’s a great pleasure for me to captain Chelsea but it’s more important we come through this difficult period because we have a lot of injured players.”

Frank Lampard watch out… your position as playmaker is in jeopardy with Ballack now in sensational form. If Ballack continues to show his mettle and lead Chelsea in the same inspirational manner as he has done for Bayern Munich and Germany, he will be a Stamford Bridge legend in no time. The board will also have more bargaining chips to negotiate with Frank Lampard who is dragging his feet over his new (and probably final) contract.

Roy Hodgson was eager to get at least one point and threw on all his attacking options – South Korea striker Seol Ki-Hyeon, Northern Ireland forward David Healy and former Blues midfielder Alexey Smertin. To no avail as Chelsea held on to their lead, but at least he learnt about the quality of his bench.

The jury is out on whether Hodgson is a suitable manager for Fulham. If we browse through his CV, he is certainly qualified. With spells at Switzerland, Finland, Inter Milan, Udinese, Blackburn Rovers, Malmo, Grasshopper and FC Copenhagen, he has more than enough experience as a manager. The major blip in his career was at Blackburn Rovers where he was sacked from the hotseat with the club bottom of the table in November 1998.

Despite the unsuccessful stint with Blackburn, he is still one of the highly-rated soccer coaches. He led Switzerland to the 1994 World Cup and Euro 1996 (their first appearances in major tournaments for three decades), won trophies in Sweden, Denmark and Norway, took Inter Milan to the 1997 UEFA Cup final and sits on various FIFA and UEFA technical committees. His credentials gave him the bragging rights that he had “nothing to prove” in English football.

“I’m fully prepared,” he said. “It may be 10 years since I worked in the Premier League but I haven’t been working at a low level where there is no pressure. Quite the opposite.”

Hodgson has stated that he wants to know his current squad before going on a shopping spree. He is also reluctant to make drastic changes which do more harm than good. Hodgson said: “I would like to avoid going out now and making wholesale changes and then finding out the ones we have brought in are no better.”

After this derby though, he may feel more inclined to make better use of the January transfer window to improve the club’s prospects. Fulham chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed, who owns London’s Harrods department store, has provided his previous managers at Craven Cottage with plenty of funds to bring in players, with Sanchez spending 20 million pounds on 13 players before the current season started.

Roy Hodgson should be able to coax money out of Al-Fayed but the question is how large his transfer budget will be. “I’ve no idea,” Hodgson said. “My discussion with the board was all about how we’re going to improve the current situation and we didn’t have any detailed discussions about transfers.”

Money will be less of a problem compared to attracting players to Fulham. With Roy Hodgson in charge, the situation may improve a little. I believe he will make positive contributions to Fulham FC with his experience, knowledge of European and international football, coaching, and man-management skills – which is a lot to bring to the table. And not to forget his extensive overseas contacts, which will allow him to bring in some quality loan deals.

The pressing task now is to turn Fulham around, once they get a string of good results under their belt, we may see a completely different team. If Roy Hodgson keeps them just above the relegation zone this season, (top ten is out of the question as it is too crowded there), that will already have been a noteworthy success.

Patience is a virtue and the fans should not be too hasty in condemning him, next season will be the right time to pass judgment on his abilities, that is if Fulham are still hanging around.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as United beat Fulham 2-0 at home on Monday to restore some respectability to their league standing. Arsenal still lead the pack with 36 points with a game in hand while Manchester United have 33, Chelsea 31, Liverpool and Manchester City 30. The victory was United’s seventh in a row at home in all competitions.

In the 10th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the opener, volleying the ball into the top corner from Vidic’s header. It was his 12th goal and seventh in the league. Barring any injuries, I believe he is on course to score at least 20 goals this season, an impressive achievement by most standards, especially for a midfielder.

Coming in as runner up to Kaka in the Ballon d’Or has turned out to be a strong motivating factor for Ronaldo. He began the work needed to win over the neutrals for next year’s award with a sparkling performance right away. Indeed, at a time when United needed goals, he answered the call of duty with a brace 13 minutes into the second half after heading in a John O’Shea’s cross.

Manchester United could have sewn up the match in the first half if they had been less wasteful. Carlos Tevez missed a hat-trick, twice heading wide inside the six-yard box and twice forcing point-blank saves from keeper Niemi. Wayne Rooney, in his first match for a month following injury, fluffed a good chance from a low pass by Tevez after 66 minutes.

Ferguson does not take the “gifts” kindly, saying: “It was a comfortable 2-0 even though Fulham had a lot of possession, but there were too many chances missed and we were too charitable in that respect.”

Though Fulham were busy defending against a romping United, they nearly sprang a surprise when Danny Murphy’s shot from the edge of the box forced a diving save from van der Sar. The resulting corner should have yielded a goal when Murphy’s shot whistled past the top corner of Van der Sar’s net. Shefki Kuqi confirmed Fulham’s lack of quality strikers by heading over Simon Davies’s high cross with the goal at his mercy.

The other highlights of this match was a penalty claim. Alex Ferguson accused Niemi of ‘conning’ referee Rob Styles after Ronaldo was booked for diving, instead of being awarded a penalty to complete his hat-trick.

After watching the replays, I concur with Alex Ferguson that the referee had made a mistake. There was no need for Ronaldo to dive. He has already accomplished the job for United and the match was fully in control. Getting a third goal will just be a bonus, certainly not so critical as to fake a fall to claim for a penalty.

Styles could have exercised better judgment seeing that Ronaldo was already cleanly put through by Tevez, has rounded the goalkeeper and just need to slot the ball home. The best Styles could do if he was uncertain was to wave play on and give the goalkeeper the benefit of the doubt, instead of flashing a yellow card.

In a way, this is a payback since Ronaldo earned a reputation for hitting the ground in theatrical fashion at the slightest touch in his early days at Manchester United. But since the World Cup, he has matured and become a fine football specimen. However, the unsavory memories still linger for referees as well as judges for the football awards.

If Ronaldo aspires to be a football legend, he will have to makeover this image by cleaning up his act. His technical skills, which he is constantly improving, have won him rave reviews from the media and the respect of his peers but if he can prove that he is not a cheater (and curb a bit of his vanity along the way), I seriously cannot see any reason why he has to be second best for the top awards. What do you guys think?

If Besiktas do not understand how Milan could throw away a match like that, they were left in no doubt after getting a taste of the backlash from a Liverpool who is again backed into a corner. With defeat meaning an early departure from their favorite competition, Liverpool surprised everyone, including themselves, by turning Besiktas into a whipping boy. The 8-0 victory was resounding and set a record in the process.

Nevertheless, if the fans were anticipating the momentum to carry over and Fulham will be on the receiving end of an equally humiliating scoreline on Saturday, they are setting themselves up for disappointment.

For 80 minutes of play, Liverpool’s attack was ineffective and they cannot find a way through the impregnable Fulham’s defense. As the seconds ticked away, Fulham’s chances of a crucial point loomed larger. Their Finland keeper Antti Niemi was in imperial form, producing a solid performance to frustrate the hosts.

In normal circumstances, a draw is not a bad result but for unbeaten Liverpool, they have one draw too many. We have to go all the way back to September 1st to find their first home win in the league and that was from a controversial Steven Gerrard’s penalty which came after some play-acting by Peter Crouch.

Rafael Benitez paid kudos to Fernando Torres after he came off the bench to fire his side within three points behind joint leaders Arsenal and Manchester United. Until Torres’s goal in the 82nd minute, his eighth goal for the club, Liverpool has forgotten how to score.

Torres, who was not fielded in the 8-0 walloping of Besiktas in midweek gave Liverpool an element of class. Benitez said: “To see Fernando come back and score such an important goal for us was really good. I had confidence we would score because we were creating chances, but we had to be patient.”

It is ironical that Benitez who is well-known for being a tinkerman, decided against changes in this match by naming the same side that faced Besiktas, yet Liverpool cannot perform with the same gusto. This is the first time in 13 months that Benitez went for the tried and tested but in this instance, his rotation policy gained some traction.

He said: “We were unchanged from the other night because we scored eight goals and played so well. But you could see two or three players were really tired. It was good in the end because we won. It was a little bit of a risk because some players were not really fresh.”

I am in no doubt that Benitez will go back to his rotation policy from now on. Meanwhile, Fulham manager Sanchez felt his side was robbed and he reserved some choice words for the referee after a penalty was awarded to Liverpool, from which Gerrard converted to score his fifth goal in six appearances.

The Reds are now unbeaten in 13 games in the Premier League, a run stretching back to May 5 when they lost by a single goal at Fulham. They definitely got their revenge on Saturday.

With the international matches up next, Liverpool deserve a nice break. They have restored their confidence. In a matter of one week, they have closed the gap at the top of the Premier League while they still retain a fighting chance in the Champions League. It is amazing how fast things can change in soccer!