Standing by his
man: Fernando Torres is backing Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez as the team
struggles for form Photo: PA
Torres says sacking Rafael 'is not a solution'
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Fernando Torres says sacking Rafael Benitez 'is not a solution' to Liverpool problems
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has said that sacking manager Rafael Benitez "is not a solution" to the club's problems.
Benitez's position has come under scrutiny as Liverpool have exited the Champions League at the group stage and won just three times in 12 matches, slipping to eighth in the Premier League.
It is thought his job is safe until the end of the season - owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks would struggle to afford to sack him now and appoint a new manager - but Torres nevertheless has spoken out in defence of his fellow Spaniard.
"I think sacking the manager is not a solution," Torres said. "The manager is not playing so we have to be positive with him, try to work with him.
"We are the main reason, the players are the people that have to find a solution to the situation. The manager is not playing, so we have to play much better."
Torres - the subject of speculation that Manchester City may bid for him in the January window - also underlined the bleak future facing Liverpool by admitting that the club cannot afford to buy top-class players in the January transfer window.
The Spain striker, on whom Liverpool have relied heavily since he moved from Atletico Madrid in 2007, conceded Liverpool need new players.
Liverpool's American owners are under pressure to cut their £240 million debt and are also facing a £20million cut in income if they fail to qualify for the Champions League next season.
Torres, speaking in Zurich after being named part of FIFA's world XI, said: "Obviously we need players. If we can bring quality players it should be really positive for us, but I think the situation is really difficult because I think we don't have money to bring in the best players.
"It's a difficult situation but every top team in the world goes sometimes through a bad situation like Liverpool now.
"Like every top team in the world, Liverpool will get over the situation.
"I have confidence in myself and my team. I know we are good enough.
"We were playing really well last season with the same team. We have to just recover the mentality and the confidence in ourselves and everything will be different."
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, also named in the world XI, also called on the team to pull together.
Gerrard said: "I don't think it's right to pick out individual players.
"We're a team, we're a group and we are responsible for where we're lying in the league at the moment.
"All of us have got to stick together and try and pull through and turn it around."
Liverpool insist any move from Premier League rivals to buy Torres will be resisted. Instead Benítez is thought to be keen on providing him with a foil.
Bayern Munich are reported to be keen to offload Luca Toni, and Liverpool may try to to persuade the Italian to join them rather than Benfica or Dynamo Moscow.
Real Madrid’s Ruud van Nistelrooy is another option, possibly in a loan deal, in a move sure to antagonise Manchester United fans.
Liverpool could then look to sell Ryan Babel, Andrea Dossena, Andriy Voronin and Philipp Degen to balance the books.
Among the spectators at Anfield on Saturday for the visit of Wolves will be Prince Faisal Al Saud. His last visit, in September, sparked speculation he was about to launch a takeover of the club.
Liverpool defender Glen Johnson could be questioned by police after a student alleged he was attacked outside a London nightclub, it was reported on Tuesday.