RAFAEL BENITEZ insists he is happy with Liverpool’s pre-season build-up despite a winless start to their summer programme.

The team arrived in Singapore for the second leg of their Far East tour yesterday following their 1-1 draw with Thailand in Bangkok.

Previous to that they were held 0-0 by St Gallen and lost 1-0 to Rapid Vienna but Benitez has urged fans not to read too much into those results.

“I think our pre-season is going well,” he said.

“It is very difficult when you have a lot of players away who come back much later.

“For example Fernando Torres and the rest of the Spanish players have trained for only three days.

“On Wednesday he played 10 minutes and was very good but after three days’ training I wasn’t expecting a performance like that.

“It’s impossible to make any judgements when players have only trained for a few days.

“We have to analyse the team after maybe two more weeks.”

Liverpool are set to train twice today as they step up their preparations for Sunday’s clash with the Singapore national team.

The welcome the squad received on their arrival

yesterday was decidedly low key compared to the frenzy which accompanied their every move in Bangkok.

The club denied speculation that a fee had been agreed with Real Madrid for Xabi Alonso and Benitez once again refused to comment on the midfielder’s future.

Alonso missed the game against Thailand with an ankle injury.