Rafa facing defensive crisis as Reds’ cash dries up

LIVERPOOL’S American owners are believed to be refusing to release funds for boss Rafael Benitez to buy a centre-back to ease the club’s injury problems before the transfer window shuts.

And the situation could well escalate into yet another financial crisis at Anfield, as the club bid to recover from the damaging first-day loss at Tottenham. Benitez’s diminishing transfer budget is overshadowing Anfield’s opening league game of the season against Stoke, who achieved a 0-0 draw on Merseyside last season.

Benitez was yesterday asked several times at his pre-match media conference to explain his cash-flow problems, but on each occasion said: “I do not want to discuss money.”