Benitez confident of change in fortune

Rafael Benitez has promised the Premiership they will see a different Liverpool this season.

Despite finishing the campaign as Champions League winners, the Reds ended the league programme an incredible 37 points adrift of title-winners Chelsea, suffering 14 defeats along the way, 11 of them on their travels.

Even if they cannot overhaul the Stamford Bridge outfit completely, Liverpool know the gap must be closed substantially if they are to be regarded as credible challengers in future years, one of the reasons why Benitez is so keen to keep skipper Steven Gerrard.

And, having secured the services of Middlesbrough’s Boudewijn Zenden, Villarreal goalkeeper Jose Reina, currently injured Chile international Mark Gonzales and Sevilla full-back Antonio Barragan, the Spaniard already believes his squad is significantly stronger than it was two months ago.

“At the end of last season, I said we would do better this year and things will be different for sure,” he said.

“We already had a group of players who were good enough to win the Champions League and with those we have already signed I feel we are better than we were last season.

“Obviously, we will need to improve our away form but the staff have been working hard analysing certain things. By having more players, we will increase the competitiveness within the squad and that can only be good for the club.”

Unfortunately for Benitez, the progress has been completely overshadowed by the explosion of interest in the future of skipper Gerrard.

After months of debate, Gerrard declared his intention to stay at Anfield in the immediate aftermath of their stunning triumph in Istanbul, expecting contract negotiations would commence immediately.

Instead, they did not begin until last Wednesday, when Gerrard’s representatives were apparently met with no offer, just a question about the terms the 25-year-old was demanding.

Although Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry felt the discussions would ultimately move smoothly to a conclusion, Gerrard took the opposite view, believing the Reds were trying to force him out.

With Real Madrid and Chelsea watching from the sidelines with increasing interest, Gerrard’s agent Struan Marshall has now admitted contract negotiations have stalled and are “unlikely” to recommence.

The twist has stunned Benitez, who believes he has delivered on his part of a deal to bring trophies and new players to Anfield which would be enough to persuade Gerrard to stay.

“Three times last season we tried to talk with Steven about a new deal and each time he said we needed to wait,” said Benitez.

“We spoke about trophies. We won the Champions League. We spoke about improving the team.

"We have signed the best goalkeeper in Spain, Middlesbrough’s best player and the best player in Chile, so we are improving the team.

“I can assure all fans we want Steve to stay with us next season and maybe all his life.

“In the future, if I decide to leave, I can see him as assistant manager, chief scout or even the manager. We want him to stay and will try until the end.”

The pay-off line suggests Benitez is fighting a losing battle, a situation which would turn May’s epic Champions League final victory over AC Milan into Gerrard’s last match for the club.

With two years left to run on his present deal, Gerrard knows Liverpol could cling on to their most lucrative asset for another six months before his transfer value really starts to plummet.

A major key to the outcome of a saga that has totally soured Liverpool’s fifth European Cup triumph will come next Wednesday when Benitez’s men begin the defence of their crown against Welsh minnows Total Network Solutions at Anfield.

Should Gerrard play, it would cup-tie him for all European competition this season, almost certainly discouraging Real or Chelsea from making a move.

In the more likely event he is not part of Benitez’s squad, the door would be left open for an exit few Liverpool fans could have believed would be possible as they celebrated on the Bosphorus just six short weeks ago.