Rafa Benitez tells Liverpool: Don't dwell on Fulham draw

However, since their unbeaten start to the season was ended with defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, Benitez's side have won just two of the next five games.

But the Anfield manager has told his squad they must not allow the weekend stalemate to linger long in the memory, with Liverpool aiming to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League when they entertain Marseille on Wednesday.

"We are disappointed about Saturday but we cannot talk about past games now," said Benitez. "We have to think about making mistakes and analyse why and find solutions for the next game.

"We are frustrated, really frustrated. How can we change that now? We have to analyse and talk to the players about the mistakes and try to change for the next game.

"There was frustration at the end but relief because we are in the same position and Arsenal had lost."

Seven of Liverpool's starting XI were on international duty for their respective national teams three days earlier.

Liverpool had previously beaten Middlesbrough, Manchester United and Wigan Athletic following international fixtures this season, but Benitez was adamant the national call-ups had this time affected his team's performance.

"Clearly you can see that when the players arrive late and you don't have time to prepare them and you have to push the player," he said. "Three or four did not have enough energy.

"Fulham were well organised and started really well. They were passing the ball and we were going in late every ball. Every time we tried to regain the second ball we went in late and lost the second ball so we were not controlling the ball. The players are thinking 'it's a bad day, it is cold' so everything was against them.

"You have to be stronger than that, but you could say the same to Chelsea. Some days you have a bad day and Saturday was a bad day.

"This year we were doing well after Champions League games and international games. We knew it would be dangerous but you only know the difference when you see the players on the pitch.

"From the beginning we were not creating and the passing wasn't good enough and the tempo was not good enough to play against these teams."

Although Steven Gerrard was ruled out with a groin problem, Xabi Alonso didn't appear until the 65th minute on Saturday after being benched following a full 90-minute outing in Spain's 3-0 friendly win over Chile.

Benitez instead started with Lucas and Javier Mascherano in midfield, with Liverpool labouring, as they did against Stoke City earlier in the campaign, to break down a well-drilled Fulham side.

And the manager explained: "When we were preparing the game I had clear idea that you can use four or five players who can play 90 minutes and they can be tired at the same time so you normally try and use players with fresh legs.

"For me the difference was that we had four or five players without energy and when we played the second half we had another tempo with more intensity and with Mascherano on the pitch, we were much better than them.

"When we used Xabi we had more quality passing but it was the same situation. I don't see a massive difference with just one player. The team as a team was not playing well, so the midfielders cannot play well."