Pressure still on Benitez to walk on

AT THE end of the storm, the Liverpool anthem says, there is a golden sky. But just when Rafa Benitez, who took inspiration from the lyrics ahead of last night’s match, thought he could see the light it was cruelly clouded from his view in Lyon and this result has left critics asking: Will he now walk alone?

Such is the Spaniard’s support inside the club, both on the Kop and in the boardroom, that the answer is almost certainly ‘no’, especially while Liverpool’s Champions League hopes are not completely over.

But the importance of Lisandro’s 90th minute equaliser after Ryan Babel had given Liverpool real hope in France cannot be underestimated in terms of the pressure that will now build to almost unbearable levels at Anfield.

The 1-1 draw means Liverpool’s chances of reaching the knockout stages are no longer in their own hands – they need to win their final two matches and hope Lyon earn at least a point at Fiorentina – and considering they are already out of the Carling Cup and all but out of the title race the case for change is building.

The view from off the pitch was that defeat here could prove one too many, even for a man who has enjoyed remarkable loyalty from the Kop, and at least Liverpool avoided that with what was overall an encouraging performance.

But when they failed to hang on to Babel’s goal and conceded with only a minute to go it was yet another hammer blow in a season that has lurched from one disaster to another.

Last weekend’s defeat at Fulham, which came hot on the heels of set-backs against Fiorentina, Lyon, Sunderland and Chelsea, was the straw that broke the camel’s back in terms of Benitez’s bad press, prompting speculation that Kenny Dalglish was being lined up as a replacement.

His decision to take off talisman striker Fernando Torres at Craven Cottage to keep him fresh for last night’s tie played into the hands of those who claim his obsession with Europe has cost Liverpool dearly at home.

So when Liverpool arrived in France needing victory to keep hopes alive of reaching the knockout stages of Benitez’s trademark competition the stakes were high.

Benitez looked twitchy and nervous on the bench as it all went wrong and the case for new blood at Anfield is no longer the exclusive domain of nutters on radio phone-ins and newspaper journalists with columns to fill.

Already down to sixth in the Premier League, Liverpool are nine points off the pace and in severe danger of not only missing out on the title but also of failing to qualify for the Champions League next season, which would mean financial as well as football disaster.

Far from progressing this year, they have already lost eight times in the opening 17 matches and their only realistic hope of silverware now is the FA Cup.

Jamie Carragher, captain in the absence of injured Gerrard, was quick to defend his manager.

“You look at the manager’s record in Europe,” he insisted. “He’s been here five or six years and we’ve won it and been to the final, quarter-finals and semi-finals every year. Our record under the manager has been superb.”

Carragher’s loyalty is admirable, as is the Kop’s refusal to boo their manager so far. But not all the flak heading Benitez’s way is unjustified.

Despite being given more than five years to build a title-winning squad, you have to say he has failed because without Gerrard they continue to look poor and the sales of Peter Crouch and Xabi Alonso now seem misguided.

Benitez remains defiant and called for fans to continue their backing as he said: “The people realise we have some problems but they can see again the character of the team.

“The main thing is the reaction of the players and I was pleased with that.”

The problem for Rafa, however, is patience is now wearing thing.

And Liverpool’s dreams, unfortunately, look to be tossed and blown.