Benitez to probe loss of form

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The Reds face a home Barclays Premier League game against Sunderland on Tuesday night knowing they are seven points behind leaders Manchester United, who have a game in hand after Liverpool's disastrous defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Benitez said: "We have talked about the mistakes we made (at Middlesbrough) and the future. And the immediate future is playing Sunderland, trying to get three points and then waiting to see what happens with Manchester United."

The Spaniard will again be without striker Fernando Torres against the Black Cats, with full-back Alvaro Arbeloa still out with a hamstring injury.

But less than a week after the memorable Champions League victory in the Bernabeu against Real Madrid, Benitez is having to deal with broken spirits following the shattering defeat on Teesside.

That loss, the culmination of just one win in seven league games, all but ended Liverpool's chase for the title, regardless of whether they can continue their fine form in Europe.

He added: "The title was difficult before, it is more difficult now. What we have to do is take our chances, and that is something that has been the same problem the whole season.

"Maybe if Torres had not been injured so much things would be different, but we cannot change the situation now. Everybody has players who get injured.

"Since the Champions League win in Madrid we have had some problems, several players have been injured, among other things.

"The worst thing has been the injuries to Torres. He has been our main striker and scored a lot of goals for us last season. And this season could have been totally different with him."