Championship strugglers Reading piled the pressure on under-fire Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez on Wednesday night by dumping the Premier League club out of the FA Cup.
To add to Benitez’s problems, both Fernando Torres (who was back in the Nike Total 90 Laser III’s) and Steven Gerrard limped out of the game. Torres went off in the first half with a twisted knee and Gerrard was replaced at half-time because of a hamstring problem.
Midfielder Yossi Benayoun also has a knee injury and will be assessed on Thursday.
Liverpool were lucky to take the lead when Ryan Bertrand deflected Steven Gerrard’s cross into his own net.
It looked like that would be good enough to take them through until second-half injury time when Reading were rewarded for their endeavour' when Gylfi Sigurdsson levelled from the spot after a foul on substitute Shane Long.
And it was Long who sent Reading in to the fourth round and a home tie with Burnley as he headed home in extra time.
With Liverpool already 12 points off the pace in the Premier League, out of the League Cup, Champions League and now the FA Cup, it looks as if their only realistic chance of silverware this season will be in the Europa League.
