Rafa Benitez may have won this week, but one good performance does not make a season.

So Rafa's done it again; when all seemed lost he's managed to motivate Liverpool to pull out all the stops and get that much needed win. Much needed it was to, as a fifth successive defeat (against Liverpool's biggest rivals to boot) would have seen him collecting his P45 quicker than you can say "title challenge".

Benitez has developed a habit of turning things around at Liverpool, most notably in the 2005 Champions League final. However, while the red half of Liverpool will be celebrating this victory, serious questions need to be asked over the long-term future of the club and Benitez's job.

A lot of the problems Liverpool face at the moment aren't strictly the fault of the manager. Gillett and Hicks are probably two of the worst chairmen football's seen since Peter Ridsdale and their refusal to significantly back Benitez in the transfer market, as well as their constant bickering, is impacting on the club in a major way.

In order to progress on last seasons finish Liverpool needed serious depth added to the squad, namely another striker, another box-to-box midfielder and another right back. Admittedly Liverpool signed Glen Johnson, but they sold Alvaro Albeloa, who was probably Liverpool's most improved player last season. Even more significantly they sold Xabi Alonso, whose absense has been keenly felt. Add to this the replacement they bought, Alberto Aquilani, was injured upon signing and has only just got back training doesn't do anything to improve matters.

While Liverpool need to add depth, they also need to get rid of the dead wood in the squad in order to get some funds to sign some quality. Players such as Voronin, N'Gog and Lucas wouldn't even make it into the Stoke City first team, let alone into a team hoping to contend for major honours at the end of the season. Personally I can see someone like Carlton Cole moving to Liverpool as he'd compliment Torres nicely, can score and will be desperate to impress Fabio Capello and be picked for the World Cup squad. Players such as Ricardo Montolivo would also add additional technical quality to Liverpool's game and help shore up the midfield.

If Liverpool can use this victory to kick start their season then all the better, but some serious action in the January transfer window is needed if Liverpool are to keep up with the rest of the pack. If they don't push the title challengers to the wire, Benitez will find himself like so many other people at the moment; looking for another job.