Mascherano backing for Benitez

JAVIER MASCHERANO has moved to defend his Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez after bookmakers made Kenny Dalglish favourite to replace him at Anfield and offered odds of 10-1 that the Spaniard will have left Merseyside by midnight on Sunday following a potentially season-defining match against Manchester United.

Liverpool’s 2-1 home defeat against Lyon in the Champions League on Tuesday night has left manager Benitez under intense pressure with his team struggling to reach the knockout round in Europe and struggling in the Premier League.

The sight of Steven Gerrard limping off after 25 minutes, having been rushed back prematurely from a groin injury, heightened the sense of crisis — especially as Alex Ferguson opted not to risk Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Patrice Evra or Darren Fletcher for Manchester United in Europe and expects all four to be fit for Sunday’s big game.