Rafa back on league warpath as Reds held

RAFAEL BENITEZ has repeated his criticism of the Premier League after Liverpool were handed an early Saturday kick-off and long journey south immediately after a number of their players had been on international duty.

Liverpool surrendered the lead in the top flight after the 0-0 draw at Fratton Park, but they were indebted to goalkeeper Jose Reina after he saved Kanu’s penalty as Arsenal leapfrogged the Merseyside team to top the table.

Benitez then explained his team selection and revealed why he had left Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres on the bench for much of the game.

Benitez said: “You have to analyse the jet-lag and everything else. I had 18 players away and you just have to pick the fittest, the freshest.

“(Steven) Gerrard is like the majority, he wants to play every game, but I said that because Xabi Alonso and Mo Sissoko had trained with us because of (international) suspension they needed to start. But we have to talk to people and find a solution. It is not fair to have all your players all around the world and come back on Thursday to play early Saturday.

“I know the television companies decide on early kick-offs. So someone needs to talk to them and analyse why.”

Benitez knows the schedule will be no easier this week when his team travel to Porto tomorrow in the opening Champions League group game.

“We will not have time to train for that. And, if we lose against Porto, it is an English team losing in the Champions League. If you want your teams at the top level in Europe, then you must protect them.

“Really I don’t know now who is fit for Porto. We have Alonso, (Alvaro) Arbeloa and (Steve) Finnan with injuries, Gerrard has the same problem. We need to check all of them now.”

Opposite number Harry Redknapp concurred with Benitez, admitting the international week “is a mess”.

He said: “I had 10 players go away after the Arsenal game two weeks ago. I didn’t see some of them again until Friday morning. I just wish they could play internationals on the first Wednesday, then on the Saturday and then come back to their clubs for the Monday. That would suit club managers, but it probably wouldn’t suit the international managers better.

“It’s difficult when you do get them back. And I think you take a big chance resting big players. It’s worked for Rafa before, though, and that’s the way he wants to do it. I’m not criticising him.”

He added: “Everybody does it their way. And Rafa is a clever man who has taken them to two Champions League finals. He knows Portsmouth is a tough place to come.

“Our record against Liverpool (three wins in the previous five Fratton Park meetings) shows we’ve been difficult to beat.”

Kanu wants to keep the job of penalty-taker despite failing against the Reds.The Nigerian handed over penalty duties to Matt Taylor after missing one on his Pompey debut at the start of last season. But with Taylor on the bench yesterday, Kanu grabbed the ball off compatriot John Utaka much more aggressively than Arbeloa had tugged Kanu’s shirt to make referee Mike Riley point to the spot.

Kanu admitted: “Unfortunately, the goalkeeper guessed the right way. He is the best penalty saver in the Premier League, but next time we get one I’m going to grab the ball again because I’m confident I’ll score.”

Kanu, though, had an outstanding game and but for glaring misses by Utaka and Sulley Muntari, Pompey would have embarrassed Liverpool into their first defeat of the campaign.

Did you know? Mike Riley has given four penalties this season, more than any other referee.

Did you know? Portsmouth have won only one of their last eight fixtures.