Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has accused Anfield manager Rafael Benitez of behaving petulantly in the recent dispute over transfer policy.

The American also fears the players were suffering from an inferiority complex in the recent defeat to Manchester United.

The comments, in an interview with American magazine Sports Illustrated, risk reviving the tension between Benitez and Hicks and his business partner George Gillett.

Hicks, 61, revisited the row over transfers, which saw Benitez publicly accuse the American duo of failing to understand the European transfer market.

"We wanted to see what we could do with the players we had already bought," said Hicks. "We just wanted to see if the team was going to gel. Then he (Benitez) went to a press conference and kind of pouted and answered in the same  way 20 times: 'I'm focusing on my team.'

"The media made up everything from that point forward. They made up that we were going to fire him, that I told him to shut up, that there was a battle between Benitez and the Americans. It's really funny to watch."

Hicks was dismayed at the players' attitude against United at Anfield when a 1-0 defeat left Liverpool way off the pace in the Premier League title race.

He said: "Our team played like they mentally didn't think they were good enough to win. They played tight."

Meanwhile, Republic of Ireland defender Steve Finnan hopes he can hang on to his place in Liverpool's defence after a worrying spell out with injury.

Finnan returned on St Stephens's Day at Derby after a calf injury had forced him out for six matches, and is now desperate to keep his place in the side at Manchester City tomorrow.

With Sami Hyypia almost certainly out with a twisted ankle, Alvaro Arbeloa - Finnan's rival at right-back - could well be switched to the centre of defence alongside Jamie Carragher.

Boss Rafael Benitez is considering using Danish defender Daniel Agger, who is back in training after a broken metatarsal, but is concerned by the player's lack of match fitness after three months out.

"I have had a problem with my calf and then I had a bit of a setback a couple of weeks ago which delayed my recovery, so it was a while for me to be out of the team," said Finnan. "So, obviously, it was good to be back and, fortunately, we managed to get a win although it was not a very good performance.

"There are a lot of good players here and it is up to me to impress the manager, although I accept it is up to him who he picks for each particular game.

"But he put me in against Derby and it was good to be able to get a bit of fitness back."

On the prospect of facing a Manchester City side still unbeaten at home in the league this term, Finnan said: "City have a great home record at the moment and we'll definitely have to up our game when we go there.

"If we play like we did at Derby against City then we will probably get beaten."