Rafa sticks by top-four vow as Villa target win
The Spaniard is clinging to the hope that two wins in the last three matches has gone some way to rebuilding the fragile mental strength of a Reds side that has an overall record of just five wins in 18 matches.
And for Benitez, the added pressure is that their trip to Villa Park sees them up against one of their main rivals for a place in the top four and next season’s Champions League.
Benitez believes the second half of the season will be a battle with Villa, Manchester City and Tottenham for their entry back into Europe’s elite competition.
After the nervy St Stephen’s Day win at home to Wolves, Benitez said: “People keep asking me why I said recently that I would categorically guarantee that we will be in the top four – but what do you expect from me?
“I have to say that. We have confidence and we have to do it because we are a top side.”
Villa’s late demise at Arsenal on Monday has given Liverpool some hope, with the difference between the Midlanders and themselves in seventh spot now five points.
Benitez said: “After the win over Wolves, we will now have more confidence and that will be very good for the whole team.
“But we know we have to keep winning to get fourth place. We need clean sheets and we now have to be ready for Aston Villa.”
Liverpool will be without the suspended Javier Mascherano, and Benitez must decide whether to persist with Alberto Aquilani in midfield and whether he should recall Dirk Kuyt, who was rested against Wolves.
The significance of the Villa match is not lost on anyone at Anfield. Defender Jamie Carragher said: “We are told every week that we cannot afford to lose another game.”
Meanwhile Martin O’Neill believes Liverpool are capable of repeating the feat of Arsenal last season and rescuing a Champions League spot via a long unbeaten run during the second half of the campaign.
Aston Villa boss O’Neill recalls how his side were in pole position to claim a top-four place before the Gunners hit top form in the final third of the season to overhaul them.
O’Neill, whose side won 3-1 at Anfield in August, said: “Liverpool have lost a few games more than they would have thought. Last season they were terrific.
“They went through the whole season and lost two games. After three games of this season, they had lost two games, but they are getting a bit of momentum again.
“It was a big win for them against Wolves. We’ve got to be right ourselves, but they are still in there.
“I heard Arsenal were supposed to be imploding last season, just about February, when they were in the middle of a 22-game unbeaten run.
“They finished the season very, very strongly and Liverpool are capable of doing the same thing.”
Villa will be without Ashley Young against the Reds as he serves a one-game ban for collecting his fifth yellow card of the campaign at the Emirates Stadium.
Striker John Carew, defenders Habib Beye and James Collins plus midfielders Nigel Reo-Coker, Steve Sidwell and Fabian Delph will come into the equation for a possible start.
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