FOR a manager who delivered European Cup glory six months ago, Rafael Benitez must have thought his second season in English football was going to be easier - everyone else did.

As Liverpool prepared to embark on their first Premiership campaign as European champions in August, with a trip to Middlesbrough, Steve McClaren predicted the Reds would be a huge challenger for the title. Not so.

After a dour goalless draw at the Riverside Stadium you would have thought things would have got better. Instead, Liverpool continue to be a force in the Champions League but terrible domestically.

The invincibles which McClaren expected the Anfield club to become following their heroic penalty shoot-out victory over AC Milan in Istanbul never arrived.

In fact if there has been any arrogance in their performances whatsoever it has only acted to the detriment of Liverpool's play. Only skipper Steven Gerrard appears to be playing with the sort of belief needed to push Liverpool into the top four.

From their opening three Champions League fixtures they have won two - both away from home - and drawn with Chelsea. An impressive start by a team who have become more accustomed to life on the continent than in England.

Tuesday night's Carling Cup exit to Championship side Crystal Palace further highlighted the club's anaemic domestic performance, which stretches back over a year since Benitez took over from Gerard Houllier.

The humiliating lows of last season, when Liverpool lost 11 of their away games, were apparently not going to be repeated.

Instead it could be much worse. Having scored just five goals in the league - having not scored in four games - the problems are deeper than just turning around a dip in form.

Even their two Premiership victories were secured by marginal 1-0 victories over struggling Sunderland and inconsistent Blackburn.

Despite spending big money in the summer on Mo Sissoko, Peter Crouch and Jose Reina, plus the free signing of Bolo Zenden, the exciting year Liverpool ahead as a title contender has never materialised.

Benitez's body language after the midweek defeat to Palace and the loss to Fulham, in their last league outing, suggested that as well as being frustrated even he is bemused with the way things are going.

But the manager's decision to stick with playing one up front is proving to be his biggest downfall.

The critics, including Liverpool fans, have been rounding on Crouch and their dissent is gradually getting louder.

The expensive, and extremely over-priced, £7m signing has so far been unable to grab his first goal in a Liverpool shirt and that has been as much down to the choice of formation as much as poor performance.

Asking Crouch, never a prolific striker and never will be, to operate on his own in the final third is like accepting a goalless draw at best before a ball is even kicked.

Chelsea may be able to pull the formation off with £27m Didier Drogba up front, but even he would struggle if he didn't have Arjen Robben, Damien Duff, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien and Claude Makelele behind him.

Liverpool simply don't have that embarrassment of riches. Playing two forwards is the only way Benitez can save his season.

At this rate Liverpool are heading fast towards becoming Premiership chumps just a year after becoming Euro champs.

And with dates with West Ham, Portsmouth and Wigan booked in before back-to-back games with Middlesbrough and Newcastle, the next five weeks could not only determine Liverpool's season they could also determine Benitez's fate.