Revelation may unsettle Rafa

In a revelation that looks likely to further unsettle Rafa Benitez, Manchester City claim that Liverpool sounded out Roberto Mancini to take over from their Spanish manager in 2007. Benítez came close to leaving Anfield after reaching his second Champions League final in three years after it was revealed the club’s owners had held talks with Klinsmann. City meanwhile have defended Liverpool’s actions. "It is naive to think that clubs are not looking at their options," their CEO Gary Cook said on Wednesday. "Of course they are. Do we think that Liverpool just talked to Klinsmann? I am sure they also spoke to others, and I have no doubt that Mancini was one of them,” he added. "We have been linked with Arsène Wenger, José Mourinho, Guus Hiddink and Klinsmann, but I have never met any of them. Any club looking at their managerial options would draw up a list.”