Rafael Benitez will not be for turning as he takes his Liverpool side to struggling Birmingham tomorrow just four days before the Champions League semi-final second leg at Chelsea.

The Reds boss will ignore the howls of complaint from other clubs in the Premier League relegation zone and again rest his big hitters.

Last weekend, he sent a side with eight changes in it to Fulham, where they won 2-0. Bolton boss Gary Megson had called on Benitez to field a strong side as his own team battle against relegation.

And it also revived the row with former Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock over an identical decision from the Spaniard last season at Fulham, but that time the Cottagers won 1-0 and stayed in the top flight at the Blades' expense.

Benitez has made his view very clear, saying: "I know there has been criticism of what we did at Fulham. But teams have 38 games to play each season, that is enough. So you are responsible for your own luck.

"I will use the players I believe will be good enough to win this game. I believe 38 games is enough to be successful or not."