Benitez arrives at Crouch end

RAFAEL Benitez will not confirm it, at least not publicly, but Peter Crouch’s days of starting games for Liverpool are all but over.

That was the conclusion to be drawn from another disappointing Liverpool draw, their sixth in 11 Premier League games this season, in which Benitez decided, too late, that the introduction of Crouch and winger Harry Kewell could turn one point into three.

During a rousing finale, in which Crouch played the final 18 minutes, Brad Friedel was required to make two stunning saves from Steven Gerrard, David Bentley cleared a Crouch header off the line and Dirk Kuyt completed a woeful afternoon with two bad misses.