Rafa ready to rotate Reds

RAFAEL BENITEZ will have to be a juggler and a gambler to keep Liverpool’s exhausting season on course for success.

The home draw with 10-man Birmingham was Liverpool’s 40th game of a season which started on July 13, and the Anfield boss admits he will need to take advantage of his large squad as 10 games in 36 days have to be negotiated.

Benitez is facing crunch time as the demands of the toughest season facing any of Europe’s top sides looks to be starting to take its toll. The Reds manager saw Xabi Alonso’s embarrassing late own goal give Birmingham a priceless point, but he refuses to accept his squad are suffering from mental tiredness, but, with a hectic schedule ahead, Benitez admits he must rotate his squad and gamble on the games from which he can rest players.