Steven Gerrard scored a hat-trick as Anfield articulated its support for Rafael Benítez in the best possible manner during Liverpool’s 5-0 win over Luton Town. The Kop resounded with cries of “Rafa Benítez” throughout the FA Cup third-round replay as the boom-or-bust nature of football was exemplified last night.

After the public admission from Tom Hicks, the club’s American co-owner, that he had tried to line up Jürgen Klinsmann as Benítez’s successor, the travelling supporters taunted the Liverpool manager that he would be “sacked in the morning”. The Kop responded in kind. “Bust in the morning,” they retorted. Yet it could even be argued that Luton’s future is looking marginally the brighter today. The Coca-Cola League One club are due to come out of administration after a £10 million agreement with a consortium headed by Nick Owen, the TV presenter. There has been no such evidence of support for Benítez from those who call the shots at Anfield.

There was no doubting whom the fans back — one sarcastic banner read: “Thanks Yanks, more friendly fire” — and, as Benítez fielded an unusually strong line-up for a domestic cup game, Gerrard said the players had recognised the need for a convincing performance in order to play down the issue of the manager’s future.

“A lot was said in the media about the club so it was important that the headlines were about the football and a good win,” the midfield player said. “We’re aware of it [the off-field situation] every time we pick up a paper or switch on the TV, so it’s important we stay focused on winning matches.”

Benítez, perhaps sensibly, chose to avoid the subject. “Today you could see the players, they were concentrating on their game very professionally,” he said. “I understand why you’re asking these questions, but I would prefer to enjoy the result.”

The underlying dissent at Anfield is not confined to relations with the Spaniard, however. It is thought that George Gillett Jr, the other co-owner, is not enamoured of Hicks’s handling of the situation, the public nature of which could even offer Benítez extra financial leverage if — or when — he leaves Liverpool.

Benítez intends to fight on, but with his position weakened by Hicks’s remarkably frank admission about the approach to Klinsmann, leading sports lawyers suggested yesterday that he would be entitled to resign and pursue a claim for constructive or wrongful dismissal. While he has no intention of dragging the club through the courts, Benítez is understood to be aware that he would have a strong case if Hicks and Gillett refused to pay at least £5 million under a compensation clause in his contract, which runs until June 2010.

“This is classic constructive dismissal,” Peter Coyle, senior partner of Coyle White Devine, a firm of solicitors specialising in sport and dispute litigation, said. “If you effectively advertise someone’s position while they are still in it, that undermines the mutual trust that underpins any employment contract. The fact that it has been made public . . . undermines the manager.”

Luton, buoyed by the news that they appear to be on the verge of salvation, held firm until Ryan Babel fired Liverpool into the lead in first-half stoppage time, Gerrard plundering his hat-trick in 20 second-half minutes.

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