Rafa sticks by top-four vow as Villa target win

RAFAEL BENITEZ admits Liverpool’s brittle confidence will be on the line in tonight’s crunch Barclays Premier League showdown at fourth-placed Aston Villa.

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.