Benitez defies Reds’ strikers to score goals

WITH Rafael Benitez’s future beginning to look clearer, the Liverpool boss has challenged his shot-shy strikers to prove their value in the fallen European champions’ lineup.

Benitez will again shuffle his pack of misfiring forwards for the crucial home game against Fulham tonight. One goal in a combined 51 hours of play between Robbie Fowler, Fernando Morientes, Djibril Cisse and Peter Crouch has left the Spaniard desperate to find a solution as Liverpool aim to secure a top-four finish that will ensure Champions League participation next season.

In a week that has seen Liverpool slump out of the Champions League and lose at Arsenal - a result that leaves them five points behind second-placed Manchester United - senior stars like Jose Reina and Steven Gerrard have made pleas for Benitez to sign top strikers of the class of Michael Owen and Thierry Henry.

Confronted by that level of dissatisfaction from within the ranks, Benitez has said: “When you hear things like that, if I was a striker, then I would be more motivated to score goals.

“I would be saying ‘I am here, look at me, I want to stay here because I am a good player.’ I would like to see my players thinking like this. I would want to show people that I am good and can do what is needed.”

He added: “We have four home games left, we must win them. But teams do come to Anfield to defend, which is a problem.”

Liverpool will be without Xabi Alonso and also expect to be without full-back John Arne Riise.

England full-back Wayne Bridge has a good chance of returning for Fulham after he damaged his ankle ligaments in the friendly win over Uruguay two weeks ago.

Midfielder Papa Bouba Diop (foot) and goalkeeper Antti Niemi (hamstring) should be given the all clear for Chelsea on Sunday, but midfielder Simon Elliott is out for around three weeks with a groin strain.