Man Utd boss Alex Ferguson's mind games are getting to Liverpool's Rafa Benitez

Of course it doesn't help when our own manager not only fans the flames of nascent paranoia, but practically pours lighter fuel on them with ill-considered comments which lend credence to Fergie's taunts.

Perhaps made irascible by his troublesome kidney stones, Benitez has been quick to react to any perceived injustice in recent weeks when previously he might have kept his own counsel, or searched for a diplomatic or humorous put-down of his would-be tormentors.

His attack on Ferguson's apparent invulnerability to FA sanction might have drawn some wry smiles but for the manner in which he delivered it, waving a prepared list of unpunished transgressions which brought back images of Mourinho's absurd dossier on Arsene Wenger's alleged 'voyeurism'.

No sooner had this one run its course in the papers, than Rafa again hit the headlines, keen to explain the reasons why he was rejecting his new contract.

Why he felt the need to do this in public I can't fathom, and he didn't make the best job of explaining his concerns either.

He acknowledged his responsibility to stay within a pre-determined transfer and wages budget, but seemed to resent having to justify his decisions to his chief executive, Rick Parry.

While I'm not going to leap to Mr Parry's defence here, what's so unusual about having a boss?

All Liverpool managers, from Shankly through Paisley to Roy Evans, have had their transfer decisions reviewed and questioned by the board and occasionally been frustrated by a refusal to sanction a particular deal.

Let's face it, Rafa's track record in this area is hardly beyond reproach, what with £20million of striker currently warming the seat covers on his couch.

I for one gain some comfort that there are some checks and balances on those with the power to commit huge sums of money on players who just possibly might not be good enough.

Coupled with his demands to gain more control over the Academy, it would appear that Benitez not only wants the lampshade and the table, but the sideboard, three-piece suite and the grandfather clock too.

Next up is a rant at the club for not settling Daniel Agger's new contract fast enough.

Now I normally have a lot of sympathy for anyone who is critical of the speed with which Liverpool do business, but for the manager to side publicly with a player against his club in a contract negotiation?

And now we have to bear graceless, Wenger-style comments about Everton's defensive tactics over the two derbies played last week.

Any reasonable fan accepts that the opposition have a right to play how they see fit, as long as it's within the laws, and title-winning sides have to be able to break down this sort of stubborn opposition, not winge about the injustice of it all.

At times like this, the manager needs to instil a sense of calm, and convince his players that everything is under control.

As it is the suspicion is that the surgeons may have removed some marbles along with the kidney stones extracted from Mr Benitez over the last few weeks.