Writing not yet on the wall for Benitez

The irony would not have been lost on Rafael Benitez as not only his methods but his very faith were rewarded at the most critical juncture of his Liverpool career. Dirk Kuyt was the destroyer of Internazionale and perhaps the saviour of the only man inside Anfield not to give up on the Dutch international this season. Liverpool's capacity for remarkable Champions League stories has not ceased yet.

To secure just a slender victory over the Italian champions would have provided Benitez with emphatic encouragement following the most taxing three days of his reign, a period that brought many to Liverpool to write the Spaniard's obituary rather than a tribute.

To head to San Siro with a two-goal cushion, courtesy of Steven Gerrard's latest perfectly-timed shot, was beyond even the optimistic manager's wildest expectations.

Before their late goals, it was a performance of spirit and commitment against the 10 men of Inter that offered most encouragement. Given the FA Cup humbling by Barnsley on Saturday, even that would have sufficed, yet Benitez left last night with the finest riposte of all. His players are still firmly in his corner.

This was not only an acid test for Benitez's relationship with his employers, but also one for his bond with the supporters, one that only a month ago appeared indissoluble.

The condemnation that swept through Anfield as Liverpool exited the FA Cup at the hands of Barnsley was unmistakable, though a natural reaction borne of sheer frustration rather than the point when a lover turned their back forever.

That much was made evident by the dominant voice of the Kop last night as Benitez's name cascaded down long before the teams took to the field. Forgive and forget was their message.

Beyond the confines of Anfield, however, the dissenters had gone to work with their cans of paint. The walls of the club's Melwood training ground were daubed yesterday morning with graffiti calling on Benitez to quit or to at least sell players of once-lauded reputations before they conspire to eradicate his prospects of surviving beyond the summer. Kuyt, Kewel (sic) and Risse (sic) were the target of the vandals, the spelling mistakes indicating a poor education, but not a lack of schooling in the weaknesses of this team.

It was entirely in keeping with the manager's unswerving faith that the £10m Dutchman was the only one to begin against Inter, although the graffiti was not confined to individuals. "Pick Your Best Team For F*** Sake" showed even the yobs have tired of discussing rotation.

Javier Mascherano had vowed "to die" for the right result against the undefeated Italian champions and a performance of outstanding tenacity, intelligence and work-rate from the Argentinean strengthened his word. Mascherano provided the example for the more stellar talents of Fernando Torres and Gerrard to follow, where in recent weeks there have been few prepared to take responsibility.

© 2008 Guardian Service

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times