Liverpool owner Hicks in a hurry to back Benitez

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Sources close to Benitez intimated over the weekend he was still unsure of his standing with Liverpool's American owners following the pre-Christmas fall-out that so nearly cost him his job.

Hicks attempted to reassure him that the threat of dismissal had been lifted as he broke his silence on issues that have led to growing public resentment towards the 61-year-old Texan and his partner, George Gillett. He even promised the popular Spaniard the £ 17million needed to sign Javier Mascherano.

Hicks said: 'Rafa has a contract here for two more years and will be with us for at least that long, hopefully longer. He has our full support. He has been a gentleman and the communication between us has been much better.

'Would I endorse a proposal from him to sign Mascherano?

Absolutely. We have never turned down Rafa's request for money for any player. We have funded his transfer request in January (£6m for defender Martin Skrtel) and are already having conversations about plans for the summer.'

Worryingly for those hoping for stability, however, Hicks said he had spoken to takeover hopefuls Dubai International Capital and even admitted being at odds with Gillett over their handling of the club.

DIC are keen to reignite their buy-out ambitions and are rumoured to have contacted Hicks again late last week.

Hicks, who completed a £350m refinancing of the club on Friday, said: 'I did talk to them about a 10-15per cent participation but that was months ago. We gave them a valuation as a minority investor but they thought the price was too high. We have had no conversations since.

'As for me and George, we get along fine. Sometimes we do not agree but that is what business partners are about.'