Soccer · Liverpool

Benitez defends rotation policy

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez insists his hunger to secure more major trophies at the end of the season is precisely the reason hotshot striker Fernando Torres will have to get used to life on the bench.

Torres played only the last half-hour of last week's Barclays Premier League stalemate against Birmingham City and responded in midweek with a stunning hat-trick in the Carling Cup win at Reading.

But despite Liverpool's desperate need to get back to winning ways in the league after two successive goalless draws, Benitez warned Torres is far from guaranteed a starting place at Wigan Athletic tomorrow.

Benitez said: 'Players can play 20 or 30 games in a row no problem, but the problem is at the end of the season when you are playing for trophies and you need players who are fresh, ready and fit.

'I don't need Fernando Torres fit for playing against Birmingham now if I have got (Peter) Crouch, (Andriy) Voronin and (Dirk) Kuyt. I need the speed of Torres in the last game of the season, for winning the Champions League or the Premier League.

'If you have a lot of strikers, you have to decide who is the best for each game. I decided Torres was best to play against Reading. These are the decisions you have to make as a manager.'

 
Rafael Benitez continues to juggle his side around
Rafael Benitez continues to juggle his side around
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