Spurs fans: do you want Robbie Keane back? | Who should go in Liverpool power struggle?

Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager, has refused to rule out the possibility of selling Robbie Keane and has left the forward under no illusions that he has four months to save his career at Anfield.

Keane's future has become increasingly uncertain in recent weeks and, though the Ireland international is expected to feature away to Wigan Athletic tonight, he was dropped from the first-team squad that played Everton at the weekend.

Harry Redknapp, the Tottenham Hotspur manager, responded to that by offering Keane a potential route out of Anfield. He also admitted that he would love to bring the player back to the club he left in the summer in a £20m transfer.

Benitez denied reports that talks had taken place with Tottenham but was clear in his insistence that the player is running out of time to prove himself and, for the time being at least, remains outside his first XI.

“I want to see him scoring goals," the Spaniard said. "Some players take longer to settle, sometimes it's a question of understanding your team-mates, sometimes it's confidence, but clearly he has potential.

“If you want to be in a top side then you must have the mentality to accept that some players will not play. Robbie is a good player, we knew that when we signed him. Maybe he is not playing at his best level, but he wants to fight for his position.

"He has time and, hopefully, he will be good for us. He knows he can play better than the one we are watching.”