Benitez questions Wigan's tactics

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez insisted only a "crazy" second half
against Wigan prevented his side from rejoining Manchester United at
the top of the Premier League table, but also produced a thinly veiled
attack on Steve Bruce's tactics.

BarryCoombs/Empics

Rafael Benitez: Pressure is mounting

Liverpool
have now drawn seven of their last ten league games and have dropped to
third in the table behind Chelsea with Aston Villa within touching
distance too. The bookies share the doubts over their title credentials
as they have slipped to 8/1 to lift the trophy for the first time since
1990.

With many questioning Benitez's ability to last the course
following his infamous rant at Sir Alex Ferguson - they have not won a
match in any competition since then - his latest comments will have
done little to suggest otherwise.

Benitez bizarrely chose to replace inspriational skipper Steven Gerrard,
who specialises in crucial last-ditch goals, moments after Wigan
grabbed their late leveller and the Latics could have gone on to win
the game with new signing Hugo Rodallega smashing the bar with a superb
curling free-kick.

Benitez, who must pick his side up for a
crucial meeting with Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday, said: "I am
disappointed with a number of things but no, the Wigan approach I will
not talk about them.

"It has happened in the last three games. They have something in common I don't like. I know why but I cannot say anything.

"The players were okay. They were working very hard in the first half but the second half changed because it was crazy.

"I was talking with my players about what to do on the pitch but there are things that you cannot control.

"When
you are top of the table you know that every single game is really
important so when you lose two points you have to be disappointed. But
we have an important game on Sunday and if we play like we played in
the first half we can beat anyone.

``All the games will be important until the end of the season. It depends on
the other teams too but we have to try to play well and try to win.

"We were much better in the first half. We had control of the game. We didn't
kill the game. The second half was a crazy game and when it is a crazy game you cannot
control things."