Hat-trick hero Benayoun takes his chance in style

Liverpool 4 Burnley 0:THEIR CEASELESS complaining on the subject suggests otherwise but club managers do receive the odd benefit from international football. The wreckage that is Diego Maradona's befuddled reign in Argentina, plus Israel's humiliation by Latvia last weekend, provided Rafael Benitez with two positives he fused into a shattering negative for Burnley.

It has been overlooked amid the debate over Lucas Leiva’s worth to Liverpool that, on current form, Javier Mascherano is more deserving of any axe that Benitez might swing at his central midfielders when playing lesser lights at Anfield. A pelvic injury sustained by the Argentina captain against Paraguay rendered that unnecessary on Saturday.

Liverpool, with Steven Gerrard dropping back into what his manager envisages will be Alberto Aquilani’s role when the Italian is fit, Dirk Kuyt moving into the captain’s seat behind Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun devastating on the right, ultimately prospered.

“Myself and the staff were thinking about this option while the players were away and before we knew Mascherano wasn’t available, more or less,” said Liverpool’s manager. “We knew we needed more quality and Yossi is a very dangerous player between the lines.”

Benitez has been unconvinced about the threat Benayoun poses when starting games but, along with the need for a tactical rethink, he knew Liverpool offered a release for the midfielder following a trying week with Israel.

Benayoun was vilified in his native press for a furious reaction to being withdrawn in the 1-0 loss to Latvia and only kept his place for the subsequent 7-0 rout of Luxembourg following clear-the-air talks with the national coach, Dror Kashtan. A rare start in his favoured position was an opportunity to seize, and a player transformed since the turn of the year obliged with a merited hat-trick.

Both Benayoun and Liverpool, who will today announce a record €22 million-a-year sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered, should have had more against a Burnley side that began positively but had visibly wilted under unrelenting pressure by the end.

This was not a case of back-to-reality for Owen Coyle’s men, who have played four of last season’s top five in their first five matches in the Premier League and will have a more accurate gauge of their level by November, but only poor finishing and good goalkeeping prevented Liverpool doubling this scoreline.

Brian Jensen was again impressive in the Burnley goal, save for his failure to hold the Benayoun shot that enabled Kuyt to convert from close range and end the contest before the interval. The Israel captain had already beaten the giant Dane with a measured finish into the bottom corner, having twisted Graham Alexander inside and out on the edge of the area, while a tap-in from Gerrard’s surge into the area and a training-ground finish while Burnley again appealed in vain for offside brought him the match ball.

It also gave Ryan Babel a lesson in how to respond when only given rare chances to impress. It is not, as Benayoun has found, to moan about one’s lot in public or to blame the manager.

“I don’t know anyone who is happy to sit on the bench but at Liverpool that can happen,” said Benayoun. “There are so many good players here but from the first day I have said that, if I get my opportunities, I want to take them and prove I deserve to play.

“Sometimes it has been good and sometimes not for me. All you can do is work hard and take that chance to prove yourself when it comes. You have to accept that you will sit on the bench sometimes and take the chance when you are on the pitch.”