Rafa ready for crucial week

Liverpool boss calls for focus

Last updated: 29th October 2008

Benitez Rafa

Benitez: Determined

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Rafa Benitez has urged his Liverpool players to show they can cope with the pressure of leading the title race.

The Reds moved to the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 victory over Chelsea on Sunday and Benitez accepts that expectations are beginning to rocket.

The Liverpool boss realises the importance of building more momentum with a victory over Portsmouth on Wednesday, before the trip to Tottenham at the weekend.

He said: "It is a crucial week for us. We are at the top for the first time and everybody is waiting for our reaction, to see whether we can we handle it.

"So we must concentrate even more now. We must not slip up or lose our focus. We are in a fantastic position and we will try to stay there as long as we can.

"The key for me is that the team is working together, all of them helping and motivating their team-mates. That is a massive difference.

"It is good to have confidence, but there is a long way to go. I do not want to hear people saying 'we can do this or that.' Forget it. I want them to go out and do it.

"Keeping a lid on expectation is difficult. The fans want to see the team at the top and they badly want the title, so it is difficult to keep our people calm.

"We know we have the responsibility to give the same message to everyone, the fans in particular."

Vision

Benitez knows it is far too early to be getting carried away but he believes Liverpool have improved since last term and now have the fighting spirit necessary to sustain a title challenge.

"We are top and we are pleased to be there," he said. "But we also have a clear understanding and vision about the future, and we know there are a lot more games to go.

"The team has confidence and is playing well, but we dare not allow our thoughts to stray too far beyond Portsmouth next.

"But there is a massive difference between this season and previous seasons. There is a character and quality about our team, and I cannot hide this.

"Everything is very positive but we know how difficult it is to win titles so we just must keep going."

Ingredients

Liverpool are unbeaten so far this season and have also developed a habit of coming from behind to clinch all three points.

Benitez added: "Now we are showing we have enough quality and great character after coming back from behind in five games to win. And now we have won at Chelsea and beaten Everton and Manchester United.

"We have the two main ingredients that I feel are needed to make a genuine challenge."

Crouch threat

Meanwhile, Benitez is wary of the threat that former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch will present in Tony Adams' first game in charge of Portsmouth.

"Peter is a fantastic lad, we signed him and wanted to keep him," Benitez commented.

"But we couldn't, he wanted to play more. I still wish him every success and hope he scores many goals for England, but not for Portsmouth this week!

"I am sure he will come here with that extra motivation, I would be surprised if he felt any different playing again at Anfield.

"He did well here, the fans liked him, and we know he will be dangerous."