In the first 4Ever Liverpool column, Eugene YS Han thinks the only way is up for Rafael Benitez and his men.

Football management is like in a BGR (Boy-Girl relationship); it goes through phases.

It's all about building a relationship with the fans as well as the club's owners.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has gone through the courtship period. He's definitely gone through the honeymoon period. Right now Benitez is probably in the middle of the ‘dispute' stage where he is being judged more on his weaknesses rather than on his strengths. He's been looked at in a distinctly negative, rather than positive, light. But are Liverpool fans beginning to fall out of love with Benitez?

The Spaniard has had his highs and the lows at Anfield. He's gone through crisis after crisis. But now he's probably going through his biggest crisis, and in his 200th Premier League game in charge of Liverpool, he couldn't have asked for a more formidable opponent than perennial and much-hated rivals Manchester United.

They are like an ominous dark cloud looming on the Merseyside horizon. United could rain on Benitez's parade and crush the fragile dreams and aspirations of the Anfield faithful. They will delight in doing so. They might even run the length of the field to celebrate a goal.

But for all the talk about form and results, Liverpool will be up for this game. The occasion and the magnitude of this game will inspire them. This is the sort of game that will - or rather, surely must - fire up Liverpool. This is the sort of game that will serve as a catalyst to restart their season.

Despite their difference in league standings, I think there's a thin line separating both Liverpool and United. They are both not firing all cylinders but Liverpool are just not winning, whereas United are.

Liverpool fans will be hoping their team starts scoring and their defence stops conceding, but looking at how Liverpool defend right now, it's hard to imagine them keeping a clean sheet against the champions.

One more defeat this season may not be the final nail in the coffin for Rafa. But he's running out of options or space to escape.

His cause is not helped by a hypocritical George Gillett giving him a vote of confidence before the game.

Just weeks ago the Liverpool co-owner was telling fans to blame Benitez for Liverpool's defeats. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

At the same time, Gillett's PR representative should be shot too. With all the bad press surrounding the Liverpool owners, Gillett should have been advised to keep his mouth well and truly shut. The more nonsense he spouts the less money, if he chooses to sell his Liverpool shares, Gillett will leave. You can be sure that when he leaves the club, the fans will not be too heart-broken.

At least Benitez has the backing from the majority of fans and the players. But, as they say, there's a thin line between love and hate. Things can easily turn rosy or ugly.

Despite all the unrest, history dictates that Liverpool are specialists in churning out results whenever their backs are against the wall.

Benitez's players may yet surprise Sir Alex Ferguson's team and grind out a much-needed win even without Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. Victory for Liverpool and the world will be back to normal yet again.

* Send in your comments to hanys@espnstar.com

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