RAFAEL BENITEZ is determined to get to the bottom of Fernando Torres’s hamstring crisis and avoid the sort of long-term problem that disrupted Michael Owen’s Anfield career.

The Liverpool manager is confident that his record signing can shake off the persistent problems that have blighted his second season in English football.

He has already missed seven Liverpool games this season following the hamstring tear he initially sustained playing for Spain in a World Cup qualifier with Belgium in September.

And he will be out for at least a further three weeks after he aggravated the same muscle in Wednesday’s Champions League win over Marseille.

Benitez is sure there will be no lasting effects for the player but he has admitted that he and his staff are back to square one in trying to identify exactly what is causing his agony.

But he isn’t anticipating that his fellow Spaniard will endure the same kind of agony Owen suffered over a sustained period of time.

“In a few weeks Torres will be okay,” said the manager “Each player is different so now I have a lot of confidence that we can find a solution sooner rather than later.

“When you get two or three injuries in the same muscle it’s something you have to consider that it could be long term.

“Sometimes it is a problem with your back or how you walk so you need to analyse everything because small things can change everything.

“It’s not a question of what the players do every day but there may be one or two things that are important. We need to check all the things that they were doing before and change things if necessary.”

Benitez insists that Torres has

not been rushed back to action too early after his second setback last month, which he also sustained on international duty.

He was eased back into action as a substitute against West Brom and Bolton, starting the Carling Cup defeat to Spurs in between before again coming on as a sub for Spain against Chile in a friendly last week.

He then played 90 minutes of the 0-0 draw with Fulham last Saturday before also completing the 1-0 victory over Marseille – with Benitez insisting he was in good condition to play ahead of all those games.