Benitez not even thinking about Chelsea
And it is clear another victory next weekend against Middlesbrough also ranks higher on the Liverpool manager’s wish-list.
Benitez made it clear as he prepared to face Wigan at Anfield that Jose Mourinho’s men are some way down his list of priorities.
Liverpool and Chelsea may already be through to the Champions League last 16, regardless of the result when they meet in their final Group G match at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, but Benitez claims that clash of English pride has barely crossed his mind.
He will bring back Djibril Cisse and Dietmar Hamann for the Wigan match after claiming both players were rested at Sunderland in midweek. And he refuses to even consider resting others with Chelsea in mind, because victory against Wigan and then Middlesbrough - Liverpool’s final two Anfield home games before jetting off to the World Club Championship in Japan - are fundamental to his grand scheme for the season.
Benitez said: “Facing Chelsea in midweek is no dilemma for me. Nobody will be rested for that game, the league points are very important and only after Wigan will I think about my squad for Chelsea. It is really important for us to go to Japan with two more victories in the league.
“We’ve spent all season catching up the other clubs with the number of games we have played. Always we have been behind because we have played fewer matches because of European commitments.
“Now we are fourth and we are almost level on games with our rivals. Now the table is more realistic. But when we go to Japan everyone else will play two games while we are away and we could be back down the table again. That is why we must win these two games before we go away.
“When we come back we will again have games in hand, but the points now are more important.”
The fact that Wigan have been above Liverpool in the table all season has no doubt been a source of embarrassment to fans. But Benitez is not surprised by Wigan’s success or the achievements of their manager, former Liverpool reserve Paul Jewell.
He said: “I am not surprised how well Wigan have done. I have watched tapes and they have a great team spirit and work very hard. They are also well organised and the fact they have been near the top of the table is because they are a good team.”
Benitez, who also dismisses suggestions that Florent Sinama-Pongolle is going on loan to Real Betis, wants all his players around for the season as it builds to a climax on domestic and European fronts. And he will not be allowing Jerzy Dudek to leave either, regardless of his desire to play first-team football to protect his World Cup place.
Benitez is only concerned with stretching Liverpool’s unbeaten run to eight matches. He added: “Wigan have played very well, their two strikers are quick with great energy and the wingers and midfield confront opponents in possession in their own half.
“They have balance and skill, nobody should be surprised when a team does all these things that they are winning and doing well. But we are at Anfield, we know we are expected always to win.
“I know of their history, how they have come from being a non-league club. Even before I arrived in England I was aware of their progress because I have friends in this country who told me about them. Maybe it is a surprise to see them in the Premier League, but it is no surprise to see how well they are playing. Clubs like Wigan, if they’re well organised, can move forward. They’re run on commonsense and you can be very successful doing the right things like that.”
He went on: “Sinama-Pongolle is not going anywhere, Real Betis do not have any agreement so he stays with us. Jerzy Dudek too, has a contract and we want him to stay here.”
