On last night’s evidence, Rafael Benítez, the Liverpool manager, is running out of answers to his team’s domestic difficulties — or, at any rate, any answers other than evasive and repetitive ones.
The Times
Benitez feels heat at Palace
The champions of Europe bowed out of the Carling Cup at the first attempt at Selhurst Park last night when Crystal Palace fully deserved a memorable victory over Liverpool, whose season is in danger of falling apart before the clocks go back.
Daily Telegraph
Palace coup as Liverpool crash to leave Benitez down and out
As everyone surely realises now, Liverpool are capable of swinging between the fantastic and the awful but, for the last two games, Rafael Benitez's men have been stunningly mediocre and for their second consecutive trip to the capital it cost them dear.
The Independent
Speroni lifts Palace and Reich finishes off Liverpool
When Rafael Benítez took the unusual step of publicly criticising his players' attitude on the eve of this match, he must have hoped for a positive reaction.
The Guardian