Benitez and McClaren baffled by Gerrard's off-days

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It will come as little consolation to the England boss, but back in Liverpool Rafael Benitez is wrestling with the same problem.

Scroll down to read more:

Up in the air: Gerrard's dip in form is a worry for club and country

Both managers have indulged Gerrard this season with little reward. Benitez has restored his captain to the central midfield role he craves — often at the expense of Javier Mascherano, Momo Sissoko or Xabi Alonso — while McClaren has dropped Frank Lampard, partnered Gerrard with Gareth Barry and handed the Liverpool man the captain's armband for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia.

The managers even fell out over Gerrard's broken toe and the issue of using painkilling injections so he could play for his country.

Yet, rarely has the 27-year-old justified all the fuss with his performances.

When the opportunity arrived to kill Russia off five minutes after half-time, Gerrard's hesitant volley was as limp as the rest of his performance.

Benitez spoke up for his skipper yesterday, saying: "Steven has experience and character. If he has another chance like it, I'm sure he will score.

"All players need help at times but I think Steven has enough character. I'll speak with him, but I think he'll be OK."

The Spaniard knows, however, that Gerrard's below-par performance was not a one-off. His form for Liverpool has dipped since a swashbuckling display against Chelsea at Anfield in August.

The low point came in Liverpool's Champions League defeat at home to Marseille this month, two days after Gerrard had been left upset by an incident in which a 10-year-old boy suffered a broken leg after colliding with his car.

So badly did Gerrard miscue a volley during the Marseille game that he pulled his shirt over his head in frustration, not realising the ball was still in play.