Benitez: next few games are crucial
Liverpool have taken 31 points from the last 33, and are unbeaten in 11 Premiership games. But that form has barely dented Chelsea’s lead over them, which still stands at 17 points.
Now, before Liverpool continue their defence of the Champions League, at the end of next month, they embark on a four-week period that will be the defining point of their season on the domestic front.
They face Tottenham this weekend, at Anfield, with crunch games ahead against Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal as well as an away trip to shock side Wigan.
Benitez is aware that obsession with Chelsea’s dominance could break the spirit of a chasing club, although Liverpool are now surely more realistically focussed on a top-four finish.
With Spanish striker Fernando Morientes back, from a knee injury, to face fourth-placed Spurs, Benitez said: “I know we have done very well recently and not closed the gap on Chelsea. But I prefer to look at my own team and the improvements we have made.
“We are closer to Chelsea than we were last season, and we will see after this next month of matches, all important games, how we are set.
“I am always thinking about how to improve my team, whether other teams are winning or not.”
Benitez added: “We know Chelsea have spent a lot of big money on players, but we cannot keep thinking about what they are doing. We have to concentrate on ourselves, forget others and do our own job picking up as many points as we can.”
New defenders Daniel Agger and Jan Kromkamp are expected to be added to the squad to face Martin Jol’s vastly-improved Spurs.
The Spaniard said: “They have quality and they are fighting for a high position. Spurs are close to us and we must win this one. We know how important it is to beat Spurs and then we know we have Manchester United next.
“Everyone should understand how important this crucial moment is for us in the season.”
He added: “Spurs, having lost in the FA Cup, will now be much more dangerous. They cannot win any other trophies, so they will fight hard to be in the top four of the Premier League.”
Benitez has his strongest squad of the season available, missing only Bolo Zenden, who presents a long-term injury problem after knee surgery.
The coach, however, will have to curb the excesses of midfielder Mohamed Sissoko, expected to face Spurs, who has been booked seven times this season and sent off once.
“He will learn. The problem for him at the moment is everything’s new,” said Benitez.
“It’s a new club, a new style of football and a new language. He just needs to analyse the situation a bit more. I’m very happy with him since he joined, because he has contributed a lot. The positives are greater than the negatives.
“I prefer to have a player with high energy rather than someone who is calm. He is the kind of player we’ve been missing, but we are working with him and we are always talking to him about things he can learn.”
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