Source: Daily_Mail
Reading 1 Liverpool 1: An almighty scare for Rafa Benitez at the Madejski
Magic man: Benitez once again cut a frustrated figure on the sidelines at the Madejski[LNB]With his pencil beard, Rafa Benitez needs only a black cloak, a wand and an assistant slightly more shapely than Sammy Lee to pass for a grand illusionist.[LNB]He has already proven himself a master at disguising the truth this season and attempted to hypnotise his audience with more sleight of tongue after this scrappy third-round draw against a side which managed only four victories at home in the whole of 2009.[LNB]'The last three or four weeks we have been improving,' said Benitez. 'I remain optimistic for 2010.'[LNB]With the FA Cup and Europa Leagues there to be won and a Champions League place to be snaffled, the Spaniard has to be more positive than even the most ardent Liverpool fan if impending doom is to be averted.[LNB]Liverpool weren't fortunate to leave the Madejski Stadium with a replay but neither did they dominate or deserve to make automatic progress into the fourth round.[LNB]Try as he may to deflect attention, Benitez has yet to perform the trick to end them all turning Liverpool from a two-man team into an 11-man team. [LNB]Without Fernando Torres, Liverpool are toothless up front. Without Steven Gerrard, they are leaderless. [LNB]Benitez's post-match assertions that Ruud van Nistelrooy will not be arriving at Anfield, nor Ryan Babel leaving, were the exact opposite of what Liverpool fans wanted to hear.[LNB]There are no givens about this season for Liverpool and enough skeletons in their FA Cup cupboard of recent years to believe that Reading, just two points off the Championship relegation zone, will turn up at Anfield hoping to bag more than souvenirs and memories.[LNB] High-praise: Simon Church (centre) is congratulated by his team-mates after giving Reading the lead over Liverpool[LNB] [LNB]But Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said: 'The Cup is massive. It's always massive for me. [LNB]'I've been around for a long time but I've not played at Wembley for Liverpool, only England. I know I haven't got that long left so I'm desperate to get to Wembley this season. I'd love to take my son to Wembley to watch Liverpool.'[LNB]At times, Reading caused consternation in the Liverpool defence from set pieces. [LNB]Their 24th-minute goal was delivered as much by the swinging left-footed delivery of Ryan Bertrand as the Grzegorz Rasiak pull-back and Simon Church's stabbed finish. [LNB]It took another moment of cunning from Gerrard to force the replay, curling in a bouncing ball with such accuracy that although Dirk Kuyt failed to steer it goalwards, the ball finished in the back of Adam Federici's net anyway.[LNB]Reading caretaker manager Brian McDermott hopes he is still in charge to stand on the Anfield touchline next midweek. [LNB]McDermott said: 'At the end I went up and said 'Thanks for the game, Mr Benitez'. I didn't know what to call him so I called him Mr Benitez. I don't think he even knew my name.'[LNB] [LNB] FA Cup fourth round draw: Leeds rewarded with trip to TottenhamReading 1 Liverpool 1: Church gives Rafa a hell of scareBenitez looks to shake up Liverpool squad with Voronin among first to goALL THE LIVERPOOL FC
