LIVERPOOL - Manager Rafael Benitez insists being part of a record-breaking 8-0 European rout does not guarantee a place in his Liverpool side.
The Anfield boss prepares for the arrival of struggling Fulham on Saturday in just the sort of position he loves.
He has players in form, others returning from injury and fierce competition for places.
Peter Crouch, named in the England squad on Friday, returned from exile to score twice against Besiktas in midweek but that will not automatically ensure he continues in Benitez's front line.
With the manager's rotation policy meaning he is now in the 90s in terms of changes he has made to his team line-up this season, Crouch, fit-again Fernando Torres, Andriy Voronin and Dirk Kuyt must wait for the team-sheet at Anfield tomorrow to know whether they have made the first team.
Benitez's style may infuriate critics and fans alike but the Spaniard will not be deflected from his established policy.
"I was happy with the Champions League performance but I have not decided who plays in the next game. We will look at their fitness and analyse performances," said the manager.
"The situation does not worry me. I can chose from four strikers who I believe are all playing well but I can understand why people ask the question.
"I was pleased with Crouch but I must repeat that Voronin did not score but was the best player on the pitch for us going forward.
"I like to see all my players doing well and I prefer to have the problem of deciding which players will be in the team.
"The midweek win was more about good team work rather than one or two players doing well.
"Crouch was good - and I don't want to give any other impression - but when we brought him to the club it was because we knew he was a good player.
"But Voronin didn't score and played well, (Yossi) Benayoun, (Ryan) Babel, (Fabio) Aurelio, (Alvaro) Arbeloa, they all played well. I like to see all of my players doing as well as possible.
"Torres was fit to play in the week and will be in the squad against Fulham but now I have to decide whether he plays.
"If I had to pick a team for a cup final tomorrow, all I can say is that I would be able to pick two good strikers."
Benitez, however, emphatically rejects the theory that at £20million-plus Torres is his automatic first-choice striker.
"When you look for a player in the market, when you sign him the price does not matter," he added.
"He is a new player and the same as anyone else in the squad. I have four strikers and they are viewed the same and must compete for the positions up front."
And Benitez will not be swayed by players' displaying their disappointment at being left out.
"The mental reaction of the players is good, whether they are selected or not," he added.
"They have reacted well under pressure and you can see in training that they are confident and want to play better.
"If you want to decide which player to select you need to know whether they have confidence. They have to accept decisions, but that is normal in top sides.
"But I like to look at a situation where we use 14 players during a match, see them all do well and then we get the right result.
"But we now have more confidence and the strikers look like different players because they are scoring goals.
"All of our strikers can partner each other and play well together. You can play Torres-Crouch, Voronin-Kuyt, Voronin-Crouch, Kuyt-Torres and each partnership is good.
"With the quality of these players I know I can use any of them, so the pairing is not a big problem for me."
