Rafael Benitez will mount his own inquest into
Liverpool's faltering title challenge, claiming that he will ask
''everybody'' to get to the root of the problem.
The Reds face a home Premier League game against Sunderland on
Tuesday, knowing they are seven points behind leaders Manchester
United, who have a game in hand after Liverpool's disastrous defeat
at Middlesbrough on Saturday.
The title race is all but over, with Liverpool having won only
one of their last seven league games and now the recriminations
will start, while boss Benitez has made it plain his own inquest
will be far-reaching.
When asked at a gloomy media conference if he will look at
individual players, the tactics and himself, the answer was clear:
''At everybody.''
Benitez accepts that confidence must be raised this week,
beginning with a good performance against Sunderland to send the
side into next Tuesday's Champions League last-16 second-leg clash
at home to Real Madrid in the right frame of mind.
If Liverpool go out of Europe - they hold a 1-0 lead from last
week's first-leg victory at the Bernabeu - their season will be
effectively over.
They face a battle to finish in the top two of the league and
automatically qualify for the Champions League, with Chelsea in
second on goal difference and Aston Villa breathing down their
necks.
''We have talked about the mistakes we made (at Middlesbrough)
and the future,'' said Benitez. ''And the immediate future is
playing Sunderland, trying to get three points and then waiting to
see what happens with Manchester United.
''The title was difficult before; it is more difficult now. What
we have to do is take our chances, and that is something that has
been the same problem the whole season.''
Fernando Torres
will again be missing with an ankle injury while full-back Alvaro
Arbeloa is out with a hamstring problem.
Benitez said: ''We have to keep going. We are disappointed so we
will try to win the next game and then have a week to plan for Real
Madrid.
''We can still progress in the Champions League and it still
gives us the chance of a trophy. We must keep going in the title
race, to try to win each game as it comes along.
''Now we have the opportunity against Sunderland to do things
right, to be able to approach the Real Madrid second leg with
confidence. We have to remain positive.
''We have learned we must be more clinical, to finish games when
you have chances.''
He added: ''But we must not forget that our league performance
is better than last season. But still we have to improve. Yes, we
have had key players injured and maybe that could have cost us four
or five points.
''In this title race that would be a massive difference. We are
in a good position but we could be in a much better position.''
