Benitez backs defence

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez insists the players still believe in the zonal marking system despite it costing them against Man City.

Benitez has come in for considerable criticism for the defensive system he uses but he has remained adamant that it works and has vowed to continue with it.

The criticism got even louder following the draw with City on Saturday where poor defending allowed Emmanuel Adebayor to score. And then Stephen Ireland took advantage of some very poor defending but the Reds boss is adamant the system works.

"When you're using a zonal marking system you have to attack the ball and if there's a player near you, you have to challenge," Benitez told the Post. "We watched some set-pieces beforehand, and Richard Dunne scored against them when they were using man-to-man. In England, 35% of the goals come from set-pieces.

"But it is clear you have to attack the space or the player, it doesn't mean you have to stand like a post.

"I think the majority of players believe in it, maybe you can find one or two who don't. But we were one of the best - THE best - before. This year has been bad but it is still early in the season. We will see how things are at the end.

"We were improving at set-pieces, but it's something we have to keep looking at."