Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez escapes FA charge

Under fire on every front, Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez finally caught a lucky break yesterday when the Football Association decided not to throw the book at the Spaniard for questioning the performance of a referee. Following the Merseysiders' 2-1 defeat at Spurs on August 16, Benitez had made a gesture indicating that referee Phil Dowd needed glasses after he had failed to give a penalty when Andriy Voronin had been fouled.

The FA found the Liverpool boss guilty of improper conduct, calling the gesture "offensive", but only handed down a warning to the beleaguered Anfield boss. Two other charges relating to the game, one for suggesting that 26-year-old assistant referee Stuart Attwell was too young to be officiating, and another attack on Dowd about the Voronin incident, were dismissed by the FA during a five-hour hearing at Manchester City's Eastlands stadium.

Benitez can now focus his concerns on hoping that all the Liverpool players in action tonight in international games return to Anfield without injuries. He has already seen club captain Steven Gerrard return from England duty with a groin injury, while his other attacking options Dirk Kuyt and Fernando Torres both picked up knocks playing for Holland and Spain.

The Spanish team doctor has said that Torres is unlikely to feature in tonight's game against Bosnia-Herzegovina: "Torres has pain when moving, especially when striking the ball with his right foot. He has a problem with his abductor which is swollen. If he plays it will be an unnecessary risk, it would be better not to force it."

Gerrard's injury threatens the fragile truce that the England manager Fabio Capello has had with Premier League bosses. With qualification for the World Cup in the bag, key players such as the Liverpool skipper could arguably have been rested for the drab 1-0 defeat in the Ukraine.

Liverpool begin their make-or-break run of four games in 11 days at Sunderland's Stadium of Light on Saturday. This will be followed by a Champions League tie with group leaders Lyons, Premier League champions Manchester United the following weekend, then a Carling Cup fourth-round clash with Arsene Wenger's young Gunners. ·