Carragher's warning to Benitez

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As co-owner Tom Hicks revealed Liverpool were just days away from completing the first of several key signings, believed to be Lyon's Florent Malouda, Carragher warned of the pitfalls that scuppered Houllier's hopes of developing a title-winning team five years ago when nearly £20million was spent on El Hadji Diouf, Salif Diao and Bruno Cheyrou.

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Work to do: Jamie Carragher (back) has words of warning for boss Rafa Benitez

Houllier was sacked two years later, and Carragher said: "We're facing a very similar situation. Gerard Houllier had done really well for three years and that was the summer everyone was looking for us to push on.

"Rafa Benitez has done brilliantly since he came here, but it's fair to say everyone will be looking for us to close that gap at the top now. That last step is always the hardest."