Liverpool 1 Reading 2

THERE is an icy blast across the country but all the heat is focused on Rafa Benitez.

The Liverpool boss has run out of excuses - and now you wonder how long it will be before the club's owners run out of patience with him.

This was as bad as it gets in a shocker of a season in which the Reds have been bundled out of the Champions League and plummeted out of contention in the Premier League title race.

The FA Cup was the only domestic trophy Liverpool had left to fight for and that has gone too - after Championship strugglers Reading came to town and performed magnificently.

The Kop are turning on their manager for the first time. They have been incredibly loyal to the Spanish boss but this was just too much.

Seeing the Royals, who are fighting against relegation to League One, taking the game to them at Anfield and dominating was embarrassing.

They were unlucky not to win the first game at the Madejski Stadium and Shane Long's extra-time clincher was just reward for their efforts.

What a boost this will be to caretaker-boss Brian McDermott, who must surely get the job full-time now.

Manchester United's loss to Leeds at Old Trafford was a sensational cup upset - but Liverpool's defeat was much more significant. Legends like Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush sat ashen-faced in the directors' box, contemplating how it has come to this.

This was the strongest team Rafa had available, apart from resting keeper Pepe Reina for Diego Cavalieri.

And from the moment the Italian punched away Gylfi Sigurdsson's early free-kick, it was clear Reading were not going to roll over.

McDermott's marauders should have been ahead when Simon Church, scorer in the first game, easily beat the flat-footed Daniel Agger and his low cross was an absolute belter.

Jamie Carragher did not know whether to stick or twist and ended up letting the ball go - much to the surprise of Grzegorz Raziak who shinned the ball wide from four yards.

Soon after, livewire Jobi McAnuff sprinted away after a Liverpool corner was cleared and his cross was begging Church to head home.

Church launched himself forward six yards out but totally failed to connect and Liverpool escaped again.

The Reds announced the acquisition of Argy attacking midfielder Maxi Rodriguez on a 3½-year contract before kick-off and he was introduced to the crowd.

He must have wished he had only signed in pencil and that he could rub his name out after this shambles.

Liverpool's cause was not helped by losing Torres before the half-hour. The Spaniard was clattered early on by Reading centre-back Matthew Mills, twisting his knee in the process, and never properly recovered.

Yet his team-mates forced a goal just before the break, although it was a move which summed up their performance - scruffy.

Steven Gerrard burst into the box, took a return from David Ngog, and then side-footed a cross which went in off the unfortunate Ryan Bertrand.

However, Gerrard felt a twinge to his hamstring and did not return for the second half.

Reading seemed destined to finish the night as plucky losers as skipper Ivar Ingimarsson put a great headed chance wide from four yards.

Then with 10 minutes left McAnuff made a sensational 60-yard run into the penalty area and was faced with a one-on-one against Cavalieri.

Had he scored it would have been one of the greatest FA Cup goals of all-time but he shot agonisingly wide.

Sigurdssson was also denied by Cavalieri but, in the final minute, substitute Long was clipped by Yossi Benayoun and ref Phil Dowd pointed to the spot.

Up stepped Sigurdsson, who calmly despatched his spot-kick to take the game into extra-time.

The Royals tails were up and they were not interested in holding out for penalties.

And as the clock ticked over to the 100th minute, a sensational run down the right by Brynjar Gunnarsson opened up the Liverpool defence and his cross was perfect for Long who glanced home a header.

The dream was well and truly on for Reading and the nightmare was becoming a reality for Liverpool.

There was brief hope when Benayoun broke through with only Adam Federici to beat but the keeper stayed strong and got down to save.

Reading have suffered since relegation so it was only right that they milked a famous moment of triumph.

As for Liverpool, the recriminations are going to be hard and long. Rafa surely cannot survive much longer.