Champions League is now Reds' best option says Rafa.

Byline: By IAN DOYLE at the Riverside

DISAPPOINTED Rafael Benitez admits Liverpoolmust become more ruthless after their title hopes suffered a savage blow at the Riverside.

And the Spaniard accepts the Champions League is now his team's most likely route to silverware this season.

Liverpool were humbled 2-0 at lowly Middlesbrough on Saturday to remain seven points adrift of leaders Manchester United, who have a game in hand. And the Anfield outfit's second league defeat of the season means they have surrendered second place to a resurgent Chelsea on goal difference.

Not for the first time this season, Liverpool failed to make first-half superiority count before a 32nd-minute Xabi Alonso own goal and a Tuncay Sanli strike midway through the second half sent them tumbling to defeat.

With Fernando Torres sidelined with an ankle injury, Liverpool - who have now only won two of 15 visits to the Riverside Stadium - frittered away a host of chances and a disgruntled Benitez accepts such profligacy must be addressed.

"Yes, this is a bad result, clearly it is a bad result," he said. "We can analyse the game and what happened at the end, but if you look at the first 30 minutes we were in control.

"We have had lots of chances to score in games like this and this was the same. In the first half we were doing well and were in control, but we had to score. How do you make a teamruthless? These things they learn with time. You can learn to be ruthless, but something like that takes time."

With only 11 games remaining in the Premier League season, Benitez accepts the Champions League, with Liverpool defending a 1-0 lead when they entertain Real Madrid next week in the second leg of their first knockout round tie, is now "the best option" for his team.

But the Spaniard has vowed to continue putting pressure on United, starting at home to Sunderland tomorrow evening.

"Before the game it was difficult to win the title and now it will be more difficult," said Benitez.

"We have to think about Sunderland and wait to see if United make mistakes or not.

"Clearly the Champions League is the best optionwe have now. Secondwould still be an achievement, but we have to think about getting three points against Sunderland and then our position because where we will finish will depend on United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Aston Villa.

"We just have to keep doing our job. We just have to keep trying to improve. We can talk about positions, but at the end of the day we just have to win the next game.

"Middlesbrough was a game which normally we would think we could win, but now we think 'it was a bad day, bad result' and the next one must give us another chance.

"After we conceded the goal we had some chances, then the second made it more difficult because we were playing too open and they were playing on the counter attack. The second half was different. You want your players to keep going but we couldn't score."

Nabil El Zhar was one player guilty of profligacy in front of goal before being substituted in the second half.

But Benitez was pleased with overall performance of the Moroccan, saying: "El Zhar was good.

In the first half he was a threat and had some chances.

"He had an opportunity in the second half and I decided to make some changes because we needed players with more experience, but not because he was playing bad."

Torres is still a doubt for tomorrow night's visit of Sunderland, although Gerrard, who was substituted late on at Middlesbrough after suffering cramp, is expected to play.

CAPTION(S):

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard on Saturday; Rafael Benitez