‘Desperate’ Crouch gets Benitez backing

Liverpool 3 Portsmouth 0

Seconds earlier he had turned to his family in the crowd and raised both arms high in a ‘what more can I do?’ gesture of deep frustration.

He had a point. Portsmouth goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown had saved a penalty from the £7million man and then produced a string of outstanding blocks to deny Crouch his first goal for Liverpool, and his first since May 7, when he last found the net for Southampton at Crystal Palace.