WHOEVER  mischievously  booked  Jurgen  Klinsmann  as a television pundit on  Tuesday night must have  known what was coming.

Short of donning a cowl  and carrying a sickle, the  German seemingly embodies  the grim reaper threatening  Rafael Benitez’s reign at  Liverpool, appearing only at  the darkest of times for the  Spaniard.

And the storm clouds are  once again gathering around  the Anfield manager after  demoralising, damaging  defeat to Lyon.

A fourth successive  setback, Liverpool’s worst  losing run in more than 22  years, has cast serious doubt  over Champions League  progress as an under- whelming campaign  plumbed new depths.

When Liverpool’s  European future was  threatened in similar fashion  two years ago, the heads of  American  co-owners George Gillett and  Tom Hicks were turned  towards Klinsmann.

The German’s subsequent  unadulterated failure in  charge of Bayern Munich  last season while Liverpool  challenged strongly for the  Premier League title  indicated it was one  particular bullet dodged.

But Benitez now finds  himself back in the firing  line, although with Gillett  and Hicks struggling to see  eye-to-eye on pretty much  anything, it’s unlikely any  triggers will be pulled in the  foreseeable future.

Certain sections of the  Liverpool support, though,  are beginning to have their  patience and faith in the  manager sorely tested.

Witness the jeers that met  the final whistle on Tuesday  and, more tellingly, the  decision to replace  goalscorer Yossi Benayoun, a  rare attacking threat for  Liverpool on the evening, in  the closing moments.

So, barely five months  after their thrilling yet futile  attempt to chase down  Manchester United, what has  gone wrong?

Of course, Tuesday wasn’t  the first time a Benitez  substitution has met with  disapproval from the Anfield  faithful.

Almost 12 months  has passed since the Spaniard  was berated for hauling off  Javier Mascherano and not  Lucas during a goalless home  draw with Fulham.

Some things don’t change.  And while Lucas is  conveniently made the fall  guy by fans apparently unable  to point the finger at the  shortcomings of more  experienced players, the fact  remains the central midfield  pairing of the Brazilian and  Mascherano lacks the  required guile at this level.

Worries over preparation in  pre-season have been  compounded by a lengthening  injury list, and there is a very  real prospect of entering  Sunday’s crucial Anfield  showdown against United  without Fernando Torres and  Steven Gerrard.

The manager often cites  last season’s home win over  their bitter North West rivals  as evidence of how the team  can cope without their  talismanic duo. But the line- up that September afternoon  included Robbie Keane and  Xabi Alonso, players who, for  varying reasons, are now at  pastures new.