What the back pages of the papers say - February 19

Rafa Benitez came out fighting over his Anfield future last night and promised 'titles and trophies' in return for a stay of execution from his Liverpool bosses.

• Read John Edwards' report here

Also: William Gallas has escaped a ban for kicking Nani off the ball during Manchester United's FA Cup fifth-round demolition of Arsenal.

• Read Simon Cass' report here

THE SUN

Rafa Benitez insists he can get Liverpool sparkling - if he is given time.

Also: Avram Grant will take a massive Euro gamble tonight by resting John Terry and Frank Lampard.

• Hatchet Man - February 19

DAILY MIRROR

Rafael Benitez last night launched a passionate defence of his Anfield regime as Martin O'Neill emerged as a serious contender to replace him.

Also: Chelsea boss Avram Grant last night made a massive Champions League triple gamble as he left out skipper John Terry, Frank Lampard and £15 million Nicolas Anelka for the tie against Olympiacos.

DAILY STAR

Rafael Benitez has strongly denied he will be sacked if Liverpool go out of the Champions League to Inter Milan.

Also: Barnsley hero Brian Howard wants to dump Chelsea out of the FA Cup - and gain revenge for being shown the door at Stanford Bridge.

DAILY EXPRESS

Rafa Benitez was in defiant mood last night, claiming he is not a busted flush and vowing to win trophies if Liverpool stand by him.

Also: Franz Beckenbauer has slammed the Premier League for being "cocky" with their controversial global plan and said it could cost England getting the 2018 World Cup.

DAILY TELEGRAPH

With his future on the line after their FA Cup defeat by Barnsley, Rafael Benitez put on a show of defiance last night arguing that his record demonstrates he is the man to take Liverpool forward.

Also: So this is it, the Premier League against the Milanese. This is it, the time for confrontation: Jamie Carragher against Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Fernando Torres versus Marco Materazzi, Mathieu Flamini against Kaka and Emmanuel Adebayor versus Alessandro Nesta. And not forgetting Rafa Benitez's insane ruck with Uncle Sam.

THE TIMES

An improbable, new-found alliance with Tom Hicks has raised Rafael Benitez's hopes of staying on as Liverpool manager beyond the summer, but, despite mounting another impassioned defence of his record before tonight's Champions League showdown with Inter Milan at Anfield, the Spaniard knows that his troubled regime will stand or fall by results as much as by political manoeuvring behind the scenes.

Also: Chelsea could be refunded the £16 million transfer fee paid to Manchester United and Lyn Oslo for John Obi Mikel if Morgan Andersen, a former Lyn director, is convicted of forging the Nigeria midfield player's first professional contract.

THE INDEPENDENT

Seizing on the gradual development of Arsene Wenger's Arsenals ide as a model, Rafael Benitez offered the most bullish defence yet of his Anfield record yesterday as he prepared for tonight's moment of reckoning against Internazionale in the Champions League.

Also: The last and only time Barnsley played Chelsea in the FA Cup, in the third round in 1989, the Yorkshire side won 4-0 and it was not such a shock, even though Chelsea were on their way to the title: it was the old Second Division title, and Barnsley had a good season in the same tier that year.

THE GUARDIAN

England reacted with mistrust last night to Indian pressure for an annual moratorium in international cricket to free the world's best one-day players to join the ground-breaking Indian Premier League.

Also: Manchester City's Joe Hart will be handed a first call-up to the senior England squad for next month's friendly against France after Fabio Capello revealed his frustration at an apparent lack of goalkeeping talent at his disposal.