Benitez blames Boro slip-up on Torres injury

The pressure is beginning to tell on Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, who yesterday sought to deflect blame resulting from the 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough at the weekend. "Benítez, has blamed his side's struggles up front for the 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday, adding that if Fernando Torres had been playing there might have been a different result," reports the Guardian. "'The title was difficult before, it is more difficult now,' he admitted. 'What we have to do is take our chances, and that is something that has been the same problem the whole season. Maybe if Torres had not been injured so much things would be different, but we cannot change the situation now. Everybody has players who get injured. We have had some problems, several players have been injured, among other things. The worst thing has been the injuries to Torres. He has been our main striker and scored a lot of goals for us last season. And this season could have been totally different with him. Liverpool will be aiming to cut Manchester United's Premier League lead to four points when they play Sunderland at Anfield tomorrow - with Torres again absent - and then hope that the Carling Cup winners, who have a game in hand, trip up at Newcastle United on Wednesday."