Rafael Benitez has warned Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard he cannot expect to get his own way by claiming a central midfield berth for the Reds.

Although Gerrard has made it clear he would prefer to be in the heart of the Liverpool midfield, so far this season Benitez has played him on the right, and then on the left, where he appeared against Chelsea on Sunday.

With Xabi Alonso and Mohamed Sissoko forging an impressive partnership in the Liverpool engine room and Jermaine Pennant supplying pace down the right, Gerrard may be stuck out wide again when Newcastle visit Anfield in the Barclays Premiership on Wednesday night.

But Benitez has pointed to the examples of Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldinho as evidence Gerrard is not the only talented player to be asked to sacrifice himself for the good of the team.