What is going on at Liverpool?

It's no secret that there is turmoil at Anfield. To say American c-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks are drawing the ire of Kop fans would be a massive understatement. After saying all the right things when they took over the club two years ago, Liverpool's owners are now being begged to sell the club to Dubai International Capital, a United Arab Emirates investment arm of the UAE government, because they can't seem to say or do anything close to the right thing today. Tension between Rafa Benitez and Tom Hicks has been well documented for the past two months, but it reached its crescendo when Hicks revealed on the Liverpool website that he had openly been pursuing Jurgen Klinsmann behind Benitez' back. The UK press has been eating this up, and rightfully so, although it should be said that Benitez has done little to endear himself this year to his owners, floundering in 5th place currently in the Premier League, and barely navigating his way through the group stage of the Champions League. With an FA Cup win, two Champions League finals appearances (and won title), and an always-competitive team, Benitez has had an impressive, if not earth-shattering, run of success in recent years at Anfield. But as is the case with Newcastle (and that Liverpool can be mentioned in the same sentence as the disaster that is Newcastle is testimony enough to the current crisis), ownership at Liverpool are anxious to install their "own man" as manager, especially now as Benitez and Liverpool are clearly out of contention for the league title and possess grim hopes of returning to the Champions League title with a daunting matchup with Inter Milan looming next month. It's hard to appoint blame here entirely to one side, but it's not so hard to forecast the future: Liverpool will be sold, either immediately or in six-twelve months after an owners refinancing, and Benitez will be gone. What happens first is uncertain, but what is certain is that times are hard for the scousers, and Liverpool are floundering both on and off the pitch.