Robbie Keane to Hit the Anfield Road

It appears that Rafa Benitez has finally lost patience with Robbie Keane and the Liverpool frontman looks earmarked for a quick exit when the January transfer window opens.

The 28-year-old was signed by Rafa in the summer from Spurs for £20.3 million, but his time at Anfield certainly hasn't gone to plan and he has been an unused substitute in the last two Premier League games.

The Dublin-born striker looked like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders in Saturday's 2-2 home draw with Hull. Even though the Reds were desperate for a winning goal it was Nabil El Zhar and Ryan Babel who got the nod from the bench and Keane was left to look on from the sidelines.

Benitez has developed a favoured system of 4-2-3-1 with Fernando Torres as the lone striker, but Keane—who must have been bought to play in behind the Spaniard as a linking player—hasn't managed to find his feet.

Torres has had his season blighted by injury and Benitez has already realised that Keane cannot be used as an out-and-out striker. Steven Gerrard is the central supporting player in the three and Babel.

The versatile Dirk Kuyt have been used alongside Gerrard to support Torres, when he's been fit. But Rafa knows he cannot us Keane in a similar role as he's not suited to playing out wide.

Keane also has a history of quickly ending transfers which have not got according to plan. His move to Inter Milan was curtailed after only six appearances before joining Leeds on loan. But when it turned sour at Elland Road, after his loan was turned into a permanent switch, Keane was off to Tottenham in 2002.

It's fair to say he was a big hit at White Hart Lane. A move back to north London to play under Harry Redknapp could be an attractive proposition for Keane, who has scored just four times for the Reds this season.

It simply hasn't worked out for Keane. If Liverpool gets an interesting offer in January—and the smart football betting money will be on a move back to Spurs—then expect Keane to be on his way out of Anfield despite Benitez's claims he won't be selling the striker.