He will fear that his short Anfield career could end once the transfer window reopens next January, with Spurs boss Harry Redknapp reportedly eager to bring him back to his old club.

Another summer capture who may depart this January is Andrea Dossena, at fault for both of Hull’s goals.

The big-boned Italian cost £7m from Udinese but with each appearance he makes it is increasingly likely that Liverpool will have to pay the city council £30 to tow him away rather than claw back some of that outlay.

If only to protect his re-sale value, he should never play for the club again.

Benitez, to his credit, is rarely hesitant to admit defeat over blundered signings, but he was quick to back the player, insisting that he had provided an attacking threat down the left.

Perhaps, but the most expensive defender in Anfield history should surely be able to defend. Unfortunately, he was as much in common with the fine tradition of Italian stoppers as Lucas has with his countrymen Socrates and Falcao.

More worrying still is what Anfield chief scout Eduardo Macia saw in the leaden-footed left-back, who was used as a wing back by Udinese, before recommending him to Benitez.

Time and again his lack of pace and positional awareness were exposed by Bernard Mendy, a full-back playing on the right wing. On one occasion, Dossena, embarrassed by Mendy’s turn of pace on Liverpool’s left, reached out to drag his tormentor back by the shirt. Such was his sluggishness, however, he failed to even make contact.

When the first Hull goal arrived, Dossena, inevitably, was culpable. When Liverpool’s defence failed to clear Geovanni’s set piece on 12 minutes, Marlon King was given the opportunity to float the ball back into the penalty box for Paul McShane to tower above the Italian and nod beyond Pepe Reina.

It was the first goal Liverpool had conceded at Anfield in the league since October, but with Benitez’s defence wobbling a second appeared inevitable.

Hull City had already served warning on 17 minutes when Mendy ghosted beyond Dossena, with Liverpool requiring Alvaro Arbeloa’s intervention to clear the Frenchman’s cross, before they doubled their advantage five minutes later.

Again, Mendy gave Dossena a glimpse of his fleet-footed heels before whipping in a cross which a wrong-footed Carragher turned into his own net with King waiting to pounce. A furious Reina and Carragher made it clear who they blamed.

The own goal leaves the Bootle-born defender on minus three career goals, although he would surely claim that he has prevented his fair share.