Crouch made mark against Liverpool

RAFAEL BENITEZ has revealed that Peter Crouch cemented himself as the Spaniard’s number one summer target when he starred for Southampton in Liverpool’s most embarrassing defeat of the last Premiership campaign.

Crouch scored in the 2-0 win over Liverpool in January four days after Benitez had been mauled by the critics for his team selection in the FA Cup defeat at Burnley.

It was the worst week of Liverpool's domestic season, and few would have believed that five months later they would be European champions.