They drew 0-0 with a battling Portsmouth, for whom Kanu missed a penalty before team-mates John Utaka and Sulley Muntari wasted two other gilt-edged chances.

But Benitez, facing a Champions League tussle with Porto on Tuesday and with 18 players coming back from an exhausting international fortnight, stuck to his guns.

Benitez, who did not even include Dutch star Dirk Kuyt in his 16-man squad, insisted: "If there is one title for us to win this season it is the Premier League. But we want to win the Champions League, too.

"When Gerrard and Torres came on we had more creativity in attack than we had before but we had 18 players on international duty around the world last week and I don't think it would have made any difference if they had started the game.

"I just had to try to pick the fittest and freshest players and we had the better of the game in the first half but then it became more open and they had chances, too."

Pompey manager Harry Redknapp said: "It is up to Rafa what players and teams he picks. He has a lot to choose from. Obviously you are happy as an opposition manager when somebody like Gerrard is not playing against you.

"But we did well. We've had a tough run against Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal and got only one point from those.

"I would be a liar if I said I wouldn't have taken another point before the kick-off today. You would always settle for that against a top-four team.

"But we could easily have won it. John Utaka's chance was a very good one and, although I've seen penalties not given for the little tug that gave us that one today, Kanu's penalty was crap.

"He tried to sidefoot it in and if the goalkeeper guesses the right way he saves it."

When Reina plunged to stop Kanu's spot-kick in the 31st minute after referee Mike Riley penalised Alvaro Arbeloa for an almost indiscernible tug on the Nigerian's shirt, Liverpool should have gone on and wrapped up another victory to take them clear at the top of the Premier League.

But although Andriy Voronin hit the crossbar and then came within inches of a late winner, it was Pompey who spurned the biggest opportunities.

After taking just one point from clashes with Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, this was their chance to topple a top-four giant but their finishing let them down.

With only three minutes on the clock, Pompey keeper David James had to be alert to go down and turn away a fierce shot by Yossi Benayoun for a corner.

And it needed another fine save by James to keep out Liverpool seven minutes later when Mohamed Sissoko's pass put Peter Crouch in for an angled shot which the keeper stopped with a strong left wrist.

Pompey were relieved when Xabi Alonso's free-kick from 25 yards crashed into their defensive wall after Mali star Sissoko went down too easily from a tangle with Muntari but Liverpool looked full of scoring options in the first 25 minutes.

Yet it was Pompey who almost broke the deadlock when Benjani Mwaruwari's powerful low drive caught a deflection off Arbeloa which took it out for a corner.

After Reina's penalty save Liverpool might have been expected to push on and take the game by the scruff of the neck but they failed to make another worthwhile chance in the half after Crouch brilliantly back-heeled a Steve Finnan pass just over James' bar.

Both sides had good chances to win the match in the second period but Redknapp was clear about his feelings on the result.

"Despite the chances we missed it was a point gained," he said.