Don’t question Benteke, says Carragher

Coutinho’s one-match ban opens up a space in the Reds attack, and the Liverpool manager has a number of options to utilise in the Brazilian’s absence, including reinstating Jordon Ibe into the starting XI, or handing Danny Ings his first Reds start alongside Christian Benteke after a lively cameo appearance against the Hammers two weeks ago.

“Well, in the first four games of the season Liverpool have put just 16 crosses into the opposition penalty box, which is the lowest total of any Premier League club”.

“But if you have a Benteke who picks and chooses when he plays well then it might not be good enough”.

And despite the loss before the worldwide break, Barnes says he is pleased by what’s gone on.

Ibe burst onto the scene last season with a string of impressive performances, while Gomez has become one of Liverpool’s best buys this summer.

A trip to Old Trafford to take on your arch rivals isn’t the ideal fixture to have when looking to respond to defeat, but there arguably wouldn’t be a better place to get a positive result that could really kick-start the season and set up a promising campaign. You are playing catch up all the time.

“I think they needed someone like that”, Rush said. Benteke has netted once in the opening four games, and is yet to show his true potential, but Souness is backing him to fire Liverpool to new heights, but says he must be consistent.

But if he can find his second goal for the club at Old Trafford on Saturday – although he is a doubt for the game against Manchester United through injury (via Daily Express) – there will be many Reds fans that will start to agree with Rush’s assessment. That’s all changed in the last 26 or 27 years. “Technically, he’s very good but he’s also a good get out for Simon Mignolet”, Rush added. “We never had an easy game against them, even if we were top of the league and they were fifth or sixth, it was never straightforward”.