Benitez bemoans fixture pile-up

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has voiced his concern at the club’s crowded fixture programme.

The postponement of the FA Cup tie at Burnley last night only added to the Spaniard’s worries.

That game has been rearranged for a week on Tuesday at Turf Moor – and in the middle of an already hectic schedule.

Liverpool are facing five games in the space of 14 days which could make or break their season.

First up are Coca-Cola Championship side Watford on Tuesday at Anfield in the first leg of the Carling Cup.

Then they face Manchester United next Saturday followed by the FA Cup game against Burnley.

Liverpool follow that tricky tie by playing Southampton on January 22 before the return match against Watford three days later.

Benitez could not disguise his disappointment at the knock-on effect the postponement of the Burnley game would have.

“Some good training sessions have been wasted and we are going to have to fit this game into a very crowded fixture list,” he said.

Despite the arrival of central defender Mauricio Pellegrino, Benitez is down on numbers at the moment.

Xabi Alonso is out for 10 weeks with a broken ankle and goalkeeper Chris Kirkland looks likely to be sidelined until April after another back operation.

Top scorer Milan Baros is also sidelined with a hamstring problem and was going to miss the game at Burnley.

Pellegrino has arrived from Benitez’s former club Valencia and signed a six-month deal with the option of another year.