Rafa Benitez takes legal advice over Neil Warnock rant

Apr 21 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

RAFAEL BENITEZ will take legal advice after Neil Warnock questioned his integrity and made accusations over his team selection.

Benitez was speaking after his much-changed Liverpool side beat relegation strugglers Fulham 2-0, almost exactly a year after he fielded a weakened team against the same side.

On that occasion the Cottagers earned a vital 1-0 win that helped them finish one point ahead of a Sheffield United team that were eventually relegated.

A still bitter Warnock, now manager of Crystal Palace, brought up last year’s game again over the weekend, saying he hoped Liverpool would never win another trophy under Benitez.

Warnock also made a joke about Harrods hampers being sent to the Spaniard, with Fulham owned by Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed.

And an unhappy Benitez responded on Saturday: “Somebody told me (about Warnock’s comments). We knew he was bad as a manager and prehistoric, but we didn’t know he was a person like this.

“I will speak to my lawyer. We don’t need to waste time with him.”

Benitez added: “Every manager has a responsibility for his team selections in every game and I also have a responsibility to use my squad.

“I picked a team I believed could win the match. We now need, after this win, just one more point to ensure fourth place in the league, even if Everton win all their remaining games.”

Warnock could also face disciplinary action from the Football Association for comments made on Saturday morning which seem likely to attract a charge of bringing the game into disrepute.

Bolton Wanderers manager Gary Megson had called on Benitez to respect the integrity of the Premier League by selecting a strong team.

But Warnock warned the Trotters to expect no favours from the Liverpool manager on Saturday, manager said: “Integrity, doing what is right for the game, comes way down Rafa’s list of priorities.

“Maybe Rafa gets a yearly hamper from Harrods for his team selections.”

Warnock added: “My advice to Reading, Bolton and the rest would be, if you’re expecting any favours, don’t hold your breath. They will have to do it themselves.

“The fact of the matter is that if Liverpool were already out of the Champions League and needed to win to get fourth spot, they would play their strongest side.

“Instead, I fully expect them to play a weakened team at Fulham.

“It’s part of a big club’s mentality. They look after themselves and they don’t bother about anyone else.

“The whole story that Sheffield United were going down and me having a pop at them afterwards was just treated like fish-and-chip paper by them. Liverpool didn’t care because they weren’t the ones getting hurt by it all.

“I’m still very bitter about it and personally I hope Liverpool never win another trophy under Benitez. I like them as a club but I would be very pleased to see them win nothing.”

Benitez made eight changes at Craven Cottage on Saturday for a game Liverpool won comfortably 2-0 to send Fulham closer to the drop from the Premier League.