Rafa rant raises title stakes

RAFAEL Benitez denied last night that his astonishing outburst at Alex Ferguson will dent Liverpool’s title hopes.

There were suggestions that Benitez’s outburst may have played straight into the hands of Ferguson, who is famous for playing mind games with his title rivals.

But Benitez played down talk that his rant could damage his side’s prospects of winning the championship for the first time since 1990.