THE next time Rafael Benitez decides to take on Sir Alex Ferguson, he might want to make sure he can get the better of the likes of Tony Pulis first.

Benitez commanded the headlines over the weekend for his uncharacteristic outburst against Manchester United manager Ferguson, having grown tired of a climate that he believes has allowed the Scot, and his club, to be above the law for years.

According to the Spaniard, his mobile phone has been twittering away since Friday with messages supporting his fact-filled statement of unease at Old Trafford machinations.

But Liverpool supporters aren’t concerned about a popularity contest. All they care about is their team does not fritter away a best position in years to end a title drought that stretches back to 1990.

And while the Anfield outfit remain league leaders this morning, it won’t be for much longer given the evidence on show at the Britannia Stadium at the weekend.

Much has been read into Benitez’s comments. Some have hailed it as a masterstroke. Some say he has taken Ferguson’s bait. Some say it’s a canny ploy to transfer the pressure off Liverpool’s players firmly on to his shoulders. Some simply say he has lost the plot.

Whatever the implications or otherwise, Friday’s events will ultimately be seen as a defining moment in the title race.

The initial portents, then, are not good for Liverpool.

No doubt Saturday’s dismal goalless draw at Stoke City will be lapped up joyously by those who revel in hailing the supposed psychological genius of Ferguson and his penchant for mind games.

Well, here’s another fact. Mind games have never won a league title. They never will. Simply, the championship is won by the most consistently successful team over the course of a season.

And that consistent success is what continues to elude Liverpool. Benitez’s men failed to score a single legitimate goal in 180 minutes against a Stoke side that, for all the spirit they showed at the weekend, are probably heading back for the Coca-Cola Championship.

That is not good enough. Liverpool remain the most difficult team to beat in the Premier League but another goalless draw against lesser opposition further underlines how they still struggle to break down a well-organised, hard-working team such as the marshalled by Stoke manager Pulis. David Moyes will have been taking note.

Yet, in the same breath, Liverpool are capable of beating title rivals United and Chelsea. And what Saturday’s result does is make it increasingly pertinent that duo is again defeated in the coming weeks to maintain a genuine title challenge.

A largely over-looked part of Benitez’s statement was the perceived slight against the integrity of referee Steve Bennett.