Benitez staying out of Jones row

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez played down claims by Sunderland counterpart Steve Bruce that the club have been “disrespectful” in their attempts to sign Black Cats striker Kenwyne Jones.

Bruce said last week that the Reds had tried to unsettle the Trinidad and Tobago international, whom Benitez is believed to want to sign on loan to cover for a six-week lay-off to striker Fernando Torres.