That was the silent cry from the fans on The Kop at Anfield as Liverpool crashed to earth in spectacular fashion this week.

Reds boss Rafael Benitez has had a torrid week. He has watched his side have its FA Cup defence stopped at the first hurdle by Arsenal when their 16-game unbeaten home record was smashed in a 3-1 defeat on Saturday.

Just four days later the Gunners returned. It was a Merseyside car wreck with Arsene Wenger fielding six teenagers. They destroyed Liverpool 6-3 and ended their Carling Cup run – and any real possibility of a trophy this season.

Except for the small matter of the Champions League, that is. Liverpool has a date with football’s answer to the Harlem Globetrotters, Barcelona FC, in the round of 16.

And that’s why if Benitez wants to spare himself another savaging he’ll be putting in a call to the Socceroos star pronto.

Following his outstanding World Cup, Neill was the subject of persistent rumours that a move to Merseyside was imminent. The transfer window closed and the Australian defender remained at Ewood Park with Blackburn Rovers, even wearing the captain’s armband.

With Liverpool’s defence leaking nine goals in a week, Benitez will no doubt be on the phone to Rover’s boss Mark Hughes with an offer that will see the Aussie star playing a role at right back. And if that does happen, the Kop will breathe a sigh of relief and Australian fans should rejoice as well.

Neill had a breakthrough 2006 that has seen him rocket past Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka as the public face of football in this country along with Tim Cahill.

He went into the FIFA World Cup in Germany with the reputation of a hard tackling, uncompromising customer. The big stage suited him. He was a revelation, marshalling the defence and providing precision passing that was at the heart of Guus Hiddink’s gut-busting, high tempo game plan. If not for Fabio Grosso’s Italian Job in Kaiserslautern, he had a near perfect tournament, and he is now the rock around which the Socceroos will build their campaign for South Africa 2010. For him to develop, he needs to be mixing it with the best.

And it will be in competitions like the Champions League where Neill can continue to challenge himself and find just how far he can raise his game.

Australia needs him to do it – but not half a much as Rafael Benitez and Liverpool do.