Rafa denies Cisse rift

Last updated : 08 September 2005 By Adam Bryant
The Liverpool boss was prepared to offload the French striker in favour of Michael Owen - a move which didn't eventually happen - but Cisse is said to be unhappy about the situation.

"The most important thing when the transfer window is closed is the players know they are staying," said Benitez. "Cisse knows what I want from him and I don't have any problem with him.

"As a manager, I just want to see my players scoring goals. I like players being angry when they're not playing. If he's angry, it's good for the team. At the same time, I want a player to have respect for his team-mates.

"I will talk with all the players when they come back, not just Cisse. I know he scored two goals the other day, so if he's playing with some anger, that can be positive."