Whelan has accused Benitez of prioritising the Champions League ahead of the Premier League title.
“It’s all gone wrong with the manager and he’s shown exactly where his priorities lie,” Whelan told Ireland’s RTE Television.
“He wants to win the European Cup so he can get a job in Europe. For me, his days have got to be numbered at Liverpool.
“He’s taken players off who are the only players who are going to give you a chance of winning the game.
“And he drags them all off because he’s got a game on Wednesday.
“When I saw the team I thought he’s not bothered about this game. He’s putting all his eggs in one basket and I can’t see why he’s done it.”
