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It's all over Rafa – that's a fact

Benitez refuses to concede title to United but writing is on wall as lacklustre Liverpool lose to struggling Boro

Benitez said "Before this game it was very difficult, after this game it's more difficult."

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Benitez said "Before this game it was very difficult, after this game it's more difficult."

There are 11 games and three months of the Premier League season remaining but Liverpool's hopes of a first title since 1990 sloped out the door at Middlesbrough's Riverside stadium yesterday, writes Michael Walker. Manager Rafael Benitez did not concede the title to Manchester United after a punishing 2-0 defeat on Teesside but his demeanour suggested he has. Liverpool are seven points behind United, having played a game more, and Benitez said: "Before this game it was very difficult, after this game it's more difficult."

Benitez added that "it depends on United", but Sir Alex Ferguson's players must slip up repeatedly if Liverpool's dwindling chances are to regain momentum. They play at Old Trafford in a fortnight. On the ropes, Liverpool could be knocked out that day.

Offered the opportunity to make a rallying call to his players, a subdued Benitez declined. Liverpool, who had not lost in their previous 15 League games and had beaten Real Madrid in the Champions' League three days earlier, arrived at the Riverside knowing that a victory, allied to one over Sunderland at Anfield on Tuesday, could cut United's lead to a point before they go to Newcastle on Wednesday.

But despite having Steven Gerrard in the starting XI to compensate for the absence of Fernando Torres, Liverpool were unable to break down a Boro side scrapping for Premier League survival. Benitez bemoaned a failure to take chances in the opening half hour when Nabil El-Zhar, Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel were each foiled by Boro's goalkeeper Brad Jones.

"Clearly you have to take your chances and in the first 30 minutes we had five chances," Benitez said. "That clearly has been a problem during the season and here it was the same."

There was no attempt to overstate the significance of chief executive Rick Parry's departure on Friday and Benitez was customarily cryptic when the topic of his next contract arose.

"My advisers are in contact with the advisers of the owners so maybe they will have a conversation and we will see if we can progress," he said.

After losing to a Middlesbrough side that had not scored in one of their previous five League games, Benitez's suitability for a new contract should be a conversation others have first.

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Comments

Benitez must leave for god's sake
[info]brollyr wrote:
Sunday, 1 March 2009 at 07:20 am (UTC)
it was gerard passion that make liverpool lift the UEFA champions trophy and not the crapy Mastermind Tactician. "pour l'amour de dieu" please leave THE POST FOR DALGISH OR SPECIAL ONE MOURHINO OR GUS HIDDINK. ONE POSITIVE THINK IN HIS MANAGAR POST IS THAT HE HAS AT LAST BEAT MAN UTD IN THE LEAGUE OR ELSE WE HAD TO LIGHT A RED CANDLE IN THE HOPE WHEN BENITEZ WOULD BEAT MAN UTD. AS A LFC GREATEST FAN, WHO DON'T WISH MY TEAM TO BE BEATEN OR TO DRAW ITSELF, IT IS BEST FOR HIM TO BE DRAGGED LIKE A DOG OUTSIDE LFC AND PUT DALGISH IN HIS PLACE.
journos and facts.........
[info]gibsonsway wrote:
Sunday, 1 March 2009 at 06:15 pm (UTC)
This headline is clearly false. Whilst the title is highly unlikely going to Anfield, it is not a fact at all and will not be so until it is mathematically impossible. One day the media may get a headline right about Liverpool football club...........

'Offered the opportunity to make a rallying call to his players, a subdued Benitez declined.':

Get a grip! What do you expect; why the surprise? You should know by now he is not interested in media games and the circus you represent.

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