Benitez's side face a struggle to progress in the Champions League

Liverpool are bottom of their group and will probably need to win their last three games to progress any further.

"We back Rafa - he's the right manager," said Hicks.

"Rafa's rotation has been his policy for three years - his ability to coach and manage in the Champions League should be unquestioned."

Interview: Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks

Benitez guided Liverpool to the Champions League title three years ago and took them back to the final again last year.

But a draw in Porto followed by defeats to Marseille and Besiktas have left the Reds on just one point.

Wins in their last three matches - at home to Besiktas and Porto and away to Marseille - would almost certainly take Liverpool through, although it is possible that two wins and a draw would be enough.

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Liverpool are still unbeaten in the Premier League, but they have fallen six points behind the leaders Arsenal after drawing their last two home games.

Benitez's side host the Gunners on Sunday and Hicks remains upbeat.

"We're just not playing as good as we can right now. Obviously, Fernando Torres is injured, but hopefully he can play at the weekend," he told BBC Sport.

"We haven't lost yet and if we win on Sunday, we'll be within three points of Arsenal so that's the plan. I think we're doing OK."

Hicks and fellow American George Gillett took over Liverpool in March and have since revamped the club's plans for a new stadium.

They hope to get Liverpool City Council's approval at a meeting on 5 November.

Hicks admitted the projected cost had risen to "at least �400m".

But he added: "I'm so excited about the new stadium because we'll be able to go do things for the fans we've never been able to do for them."

The stadium will have a capacity of 60,000 - 15,000 more than Anfield - when it opens but that could increase to 75,000 in the future.