Debate: has Benitez cost Liverpool the title?

I have a sneaky feeling that Rafael BenÍtez is a manager who is happy to end the season with more points than last year. Then he can go to a board meeting and tell his directors that the team are improving and that everything is moving in the right direction.

That is not the Liverpool way. Liverpool fans expect their team to be first in the Barclays Premier League, but it will not happen with a manager as cautious as BenÍtez.

I cannot get my head around why he took off Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard last night. Would Manchester United sit back on a lead away to Wigan Athletic? Would Sir Alex Ferguson take off his best striker to try to sneak a win against a team that have never beaten a top-four side? BenÍtez is far too cautious for the Premier League and Liverpool will always fall short if he keeps making such bizarre substitutions. He transmits his caution to his players.

Why not put your best XI on the pitch and leave them to it? Trust your players for a change. That’s what Ferguson does and United ripped West Bromwich Albion to shreds on Tuesday. Ferguson didn’t take Dimitar Berbatov off when United were 1-0 up; he got a well-deserved rest less than a quarter of an hour before time, when United were 5-0 up.

Contrast that with BenÍtez. If he’s not trying to play mind games with Ferguson – with disastrous results – he’s doing so with his players. If I were Robbie Keane, I would be looking for a way out of Anfield as soon as possible. He’s been messed about by BenÍtez far too much.

There’s been only one day this season when I thought that Liverpool would win the title for the first time since 1990, when they beat a poor Newcastle United side 5-1. But they haven’t won a league game since that victory a month ago. In the meantime they have beaten Preston North End in the FA Cup and drawn with Everton – twice – Stoke City and Wigan. That’s not title-winning form and Liverpool will not get back on track until BenÍtez goes back to basics, picks his strongest XI and puts his faith in his players.

Whatever happens, though, Liverpool are on course to get more points than they did last season. If that remains the case, at least BenÍtez will be happy in May.

Keane's sub-standard night

Albert Riera replaces Fernando Torres, 72min

With Torres, above, “tired”, according to Rafael Benítez, the manager, Robbie Keane, Liverpool’s £20 million striker, may have hoped to get on. Instead, Benítez plumped for the Spain winger and pushed the erratic Ryan Babel into the centre.

Dirk Kuyt for Yossi Benayoun, 75min

Kuyt is nominally a striker but has played on the right of midfield, making this more of a like-for-like move. With Torres and Benayoun gone, the Wigan Athletic defence had less craft and guile to deal with. Keane may have given them more to think about.

Keane for Steven Gerrard, 84min

Finally, Keane, is given a chance — at the expense of the player who inspires fear in Liverpool’s opponents. A poisoned chalice indeed. Keane was more conspicuous on the bench than on the pitch. Last night does not bode well for the Ireland striker.