• Co-owner says Benítez is 'as good as there is in the
business'
• Paying up manager's contract would cost over £20m
Rafael Benítez has received the endorsement of the
Liverpool co-owner, George Gillett, after a run of poor
results.
George Gillett last night responded to growing pressure
on Rafael
Benítez by assuring the
Liverpool
manager that he retains the unequivocal support of the
club's American owners.
Benítez is experiencing the most fraught on-field period of his
six seasons in charge of Liverpool after a run of four successive
defeats, the club's first since 1987, left them seven points behind
Manchester
United in the Premier League and under serious threat of
elimination from the Champions League group stage.
Gillett was at Anfield on Tuesday as Lyon inflicted
a stoppage-time defeat on Liverpool and faced angry remonstrations
from several fans after César Delgado's winner. His co-owner, Tom
Hicks, is expected to run a similar gauntlet on Sunday when Sir
Alex Ferguson's champions arrive at Anfield. Despite the
despondency around Liverpool and the first serious stirrings of
discontent towards Benítez among the club's support, Gillett, who
once sought to replace the Spaniard with Jürgen Klinsmann, insists
there is no question of the manager's position being under
threat.
Asked if his support for Benítez remained intact, Gillett said:
"Absolutely. We have just entered into a long-term agreement with
Rafa. Our family is extraordinarily pleased with him, we think he
is absolutely as good as there is in the business and I am sure the
Hicks [family] feel the same way. We just extended his
contract."
Benítez signed an improved contract in March that committed him
to Liverpool until 2014 and, though Gillett insists his backing is
based purely on coaching ability, it would cost the club over £20m
to pay up the remaining four and a half years of the manager's
deal. Hicks and Gillett are also unlikely to risk fresh instability
at Anfield at a time when they are independently seeking to attract
new investors.
"I think the run of results disappoints everybody," Gillett
added. "Certainly, it disappoints the fans and it disappoints Rafa.
I know he is disappointed. We are all disappointed but we are in
this together. I think we all saw the same thing [that Benítez
looked downbeat following the Lyon defeat] but that's not something
I am going to comment on publicly."
Gillett claimed he and Hicks are allowing for improvement
through "being supportive. Which I am and which Tom is." He
refused, though, to indicate whether new investment is on its way
to assist Benítez in the January transfer window. "I don't think
that is something I am prepared to comment on at the moment," the
Liverpool co-owner said.
Benítez's preparations for the United game have also been
undermined by a succession of injuries to key players, with
Fernando Torres, Glen Johnson and Albert Riera all missing the Lyon
game through groin and hamstring problems and Steven Gerrard
limping out after 25 minutes having aggravated an adductor strain.
All four will continue to receive intensive treatment ahead of
Sunday with Gerrard and Riera the main doubts.
"I think I will be all right for Sunday," said Johnson. "We
haven't tested it today, just soft tissue work and massage, but it
seems a lot freer than it did." The England defender added: "I
think Nando [Torres] might be all right for Sunday but I am not too
sure about Stevie."
There was one important injury breakthrough for Benítez last
night, however, when Alberto Aquilani made his first appearance in
a Liverpool shirt since his £20m summer move from Roma. The Italian
midfielder, signed to compensate for the loss of Xabi Alonso to
Real Madrid, has not made a senior start as a result of ankle
surgery in May. He last made a competitive appearance for Roma in
March.
Aquilani came off the bench for Liverpool's reserves in the 75th
minute of their 2–0 win against Sunderland reserves at Prenton
Park, but is unlikely to feature on Sunday. The midfielder's
rehabilitation may continue with a first senior appearance next
week when Liverpool face Arsenal in the Carling Cup fourth
round.
