It is being reported this morning that the Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is desperately looking around for short-term solutions to his injury problems, and today’s Mirror says that he has made approaches for two players that are out-of-favour at their home clubs.

Tottenham’s Roman Pavlyuchenko is becoming increasingly frustrated with his lack of play at Tottenham, and is now desperate to move in January after losing his place in the Russian national team with the World Cup approaching.

He has told Harry Redknapp to play him or let him go, and Benitez has asked Tottenham if he could have Pavlyuchenko on loan until the summer when he will have more funds available to complete the permanent deal.

Likewise for Rafael Van Der Vaart at Real Madrid. The Dutchman has also been told he needs to play regularly or risk missing out on Holland’s World Cup challenge in South Africa next summer.

Benitez has asked his old club if they will also let him go to Anfield on loan with a view to making the move permanent in July.

These two would give Benitez a chance of staying competitive if his mountain of injury problems continue into the New Year.