Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez came under fire at a charity dinner, it has been revealed.

The Spaniard and his assistant, Sammy Lee, had given their time to join 400 corporate guests at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the city's waterfront to raise money for the Lord Mayor of Liverpool's chosen charities.

But a question-and-answer session between fans and a panel of former players led to scathing criticism of Benitez's signings Leiva Lucas and Robbie Keane, the sale of Peter Crouch and an apparent lack of adventure in the Liverpool team, says the Mail on Sunday.

One eyewitness said: "It was disgusting. Rafa had to sit there and listen to his management decisions taken apart by a bunch of people who aren't fit to tie his bootlaces. It was completely disrespectful.

"It must have passed people by that Liverpool were top of the League.

"The [fans'] questions were totally disrespectful and the pundits should have known better than to have got involved. What are their managerial achievements?"