RAFAEL Benitez has taken criticism of Wanderers' playing style to a new level with astonishing claims that they broke the rules to beat Liverpool at the Reebok last August.

The Anfield manager claims the Whites got away with a succession of fouls and illegal throw-ins as they battled their way to victory and accused Kevin Davies, scorer of the only goal of the game, of elbowing his defenders.

That was the Spaniard's first Premiership defeat after joining Liverpool from Valencia and he reckons it taught him all he needed to know about English football.

"I learned there are different rules in England than elsewhere," Benitez said in a sarcastic outburst ahead of Saturday's return fixture at Anfield.

"I learned at Bolton that it is not important if you take throw-ins with one foot in the air or not having both feet behind the line, it is more important to send the ball as far as you can.

"The other thing I learned is that if a centre-forward puts his arms back and holds a defender with both hands you must never hit the elbow of the forward with your nose because it is a free-kick against you.

"Another thing I discovered is that in the six-yard box you can use two players in front of the goalkeeper, and it is not a free-kick when they stop the keeper going for the ball.

"Of course they are not trying to disturb the goalkeeper, they are just there to see the game from as close as possible.

"But really they are there to stop the goalkeeper catching the ball. I have certainly learned a lot."

Benitez is not the first rival manager to criticise Sam Allardyce's playing style but he is the first to accuse Wanderers of breaking the rules.

He did acknowledge that Wanderers, who went into Saturday's game just one point and one place behind Liverpool, had become a good team.

But that is unlikely to endear him to the Wanderers boss who passionately defends his methods.

"Contrary to what everybody thinks, we've done it with style," he said.

"We haven't done it with all the long ball stuff people have talked about. We've done it by playing football to win, playing how we need to play on any particular day.

"The players have taken up the challenge and produced some magnificent results, particularly against the big five."