Riise own-goal helps Luton deny Liverpool

Benitez's name was splashed across the back of yesterday's newspapers, with reports claiming that the Spaniard is already aware he will be out of a job come the end of the season. Not so, said Benitez, even though there was still little solace for the Spaniard at Kenilworth Road.

Liverpool looked second best all afternoon against a Luton side stuck in administration and playing for their very survival. An off-the-pace Peter Crouch handed Liverpool the lead on 74 minutes.

But John Arne Riise's own goal three minutes later earned Luton a deserved replay at Anfield tomorrow week, a fixture which will earn the cash-strapped League One club a vital boost in the region of £500,000. The administrator may not have agreed but Luton manager Kevin Blackwell insisted he would have been delighted to see his side book their place in the fourth round at the first attempt.

"With the things that are going on it was a perfect result," conceded Blackwell.

"Otherwise I'm disappointed we haven't won. I think we edged it on chances and with a bit more guile we could have won quite comfortably.

"I was really proud to watch my team out-pass Liverpool at times. My team went out and did a job and made Liverpool look poor."

Perhaps more important for Luton than today's fourth round draw at lunchtime is the five o'clock cut-off point for potential buyers to submit their bids to the administrator.

Even if a buyer is found who satisfies the club's many creditors, departures would seem to be an inevitable consequence of the financial mess at Kenilworth Road. Facing up to a potential player exodus, Blackwell admitted: "I'm sure that my phone will be red hot after today so I shall lose it tonight somewhere.

"I need someone to come in and buy the club by around January 24 — if not I've got to sell players to get the money to keep the club alive."

It speaks volumes for the Luton players' commitment that they can turn in such displays despite receiving a fraction of the wages they have been due over the past two months. Last night's result will mean it is time for a trip to the cashpoint at long last.

Benitez pronounced himself happy with his team's display, pointing to the exits of Blackburn, Everton and Bolton as reasons. Although there may be 60 league places separating Luton and Liverpool, there was little evidence of a gulf in class.

The Barclays Premier League side needed just 25 seconds to register their first effort on goal, Ryan Babel testing Dean Brill with a low shot.

However, as Luton got into their stride the pace of Drew Talbot and the power of Calvin Andrew kept Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia on their toes.

New England manager Fabio Capello, who found his way to Villa Park for the visit of Manchester United on Saturday, continued his tour of the FA Cup third round in the slightly less luxurious surroundings of Kenilworth Road.

But if Crouch was intent on putting on a performance for the Italian, it certainly did not show. Yet it was thanks to the England striker that Liverpool looked set to escape, thanks to a classic smash and grab.

Luton defender Chris Perry could only head a long ball straight up in the air and substitute Andriy Voronin was on to him in a flash. The Ukrainian's shot was well saved by Brill but Crouch was on hand to make amends for his poor display by stroking home the rebound on 73 minutes.

Team spirit is not short on the ground at Luton, however, and just three minutes later the home side got the slice of luck their determined performance deserved.

Talbot, still full of running, burst down the left before delivering a cross which Riise could only slice against his own arm and past keeper Charles Itandje.

Any conspiracy theories that Luton would simply settle for a draw and a bumper Anfield payday were undone moments later when Dave Edwards sent a dipping effort just over. With the future of Luton hanging in the balance, it was just as well Edwards was only marginally off target.

That miss was certainly a relief for Benitez.

"From my point of view the only thing is that when you score a goal you need to use your experience and control the game. We conceded a goal three minutes later which is very disappointing," said the Liverpool manager.

"In terms of the performance we could play a little better but at least we have the chance of playing another game at Anfield — and I think that will be different."

It certainly needs to be if he is to silence those who see his departure this summer as a foregone conclusion.