Benitez denies Gerrard bust up

RAFAEL BENITEZ has thrown himself into crisis mode after Liverpool’s latest setback against Stoke but his ability to keep a sinking ship afloat cannot hide the fact they are bailing out water on the Anfield decks this morning.

Benitez will defy speculation about his future by calling for an ‘us against the world’ mentality at the club’s Melwood training ground as he assesses another lead thrown away.

He can rightly point to the hard work and commitment shown by his players during a gritty 1-1 draw at the Britannia Stadium but the real depth of Liverpool’s slump was shown not only by Robert Huth’s 90th minute equaliser but also by the overall quality of their line-up.