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So how many of you think this is acceptable behaviour by our manager even if he is 100% right Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez in stunning blast at Graeme Souness and Jurgen Klinsmann | Mail Online Rafa Benitez rounded on his arch-critics Graeme Souness and Jurgen Klinsmann yesterday and derided them as managerial flops who had no right to question his record as Liverpool manager. After crashing out of the Champions League with their lowest-ever points tally in a group stage, Benitez had to contend with Souness warning of ‘meltdown’ at Anfield and one-time Liverpool target Klinsmann pointing an accusing finger over an apparent lack of progress. It prompted an appraisal of the pair’s managerial careers, laced with heavy sarcasm, as Benitez reflected on Souness being sacked by a string of clubs, including Torino, Benfica and Newcastle, and Klinsmann given his marching orders by Bayern Munich after less than a year in charge. Contempt: Benitez laughed off flak that has been aimed at him, vowing not to sell Torres ‘They have both got fantastic records as managers, haven’t they?’ he said. ‘The volume control on my Sky handset is a very good thing, because it meant I was able to switch it right down when they came on. VIDEO: Rafa Benitez rejects Jurgen Klinsmann criticism but admits he is under pressure‘If someone chooses to talk too much, that is their problem. Just look at what they did as managers. Fantastic. People will look at that and know how to treat what they say. I honestly don’t bother to listen to comments like that. I will just concentrate on what I know and what I have done and let people make their own judgments. ‘I don’t know if there is any hidden agenda in Klinsmann being on Sky twice and us playing each time. Is he after my job? I really do not know. All I can be sure of is that these sort of things will still be coming out in four or five years and I still won’t be taking any notice.’ Benitez bluntly admitted that reducing debt had been Liverpool’s overriding concern during the summer and that his faltering side were suffering as a consequence. As he prepared for a crucial Anfield showdown with Arsenal, the Liverpool manager spoke for the first time about his club’s financial plight and conceded it had taken precedence over spending plans. He had to shelve plans to bid for West Ham centre-back Matthew Upson, as owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett concentrated their efforts on trimming a deficit of around £300million to its current figure of £240m. Even so, he was adamant Manchester City would not be allowed to prise Fernando Torres away in the January window and just as insistent there was no danger of Liverpool suffering the same fate as Leeds United. ‘It is true there was no net spending on players in the summer, but we have to accept our situation and try to do the best we can under the conditions that prevail,’ he said. ‘Can we improve with these conditions? I think so but it is a question of time. Debt reduction had to be the priority in the summer. ‘It was one of the most important things that we had to manage. Along with football issues, we had to manage them together. Going nowhere: Torres is an Anfield fixture, says Benitez ‘When I signed my five-year contract, we knew that we had to work together so we will try to do the best for the club. Sometimes you can do it and still perform on the pitch and sometimes you have to wait a bit. ‘I think the people inside the club know what the situation is, when it comes to expectations. It is difficult to explain every single issue to the media and the fans, but we have to keep working inside and trying to do the best for the club. ‘Because we won the Champions League and the FA Cup, everyone assumed we would win trophies every single year. We got 86 points last season and people were expecting us to stay at the same level. ‘Sometimes it is difficult to keep this level and we are disappointed because we are in a bad position in the table. But it is still early in the season and we have time to improve. With Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres fit and available, we will do. Time to improve: The fitness of Torres and Gerrard is integral to Liverpool's season ‘Certainly, there is no chance, absolutely no chance of us being vulnerable to City in the January window. We will continue doing our job and keeping our players because we want to stay in the top four. The players know that too. ‘Also, I don’t see Liverpool in the same way as Leeds. One of the priorities this year was to reduce the debt and the club is working very hard to do this.’