Aurelio happy with rotation

Brazilian full-back praises manager's tactical tweaks

Last updated: 20th November 2008

Aurelio Fabio

Aurelio: Calling for caution

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Fabio Aurelio believes Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez's rotation policy will prove crucial in the battle to secure Premier League glory.

Ahead of Saturday's visit of Fulham, the Reds sit level on points with table-topping Chelsea as they bid to end an 18-year wait for league silverware at Anfield.

And Aurelio, who worked under Benitez at former club Valencia when winning La Liga in 2002 and 2004, believes his boss' much-debated tactical changes could be a decisive factor.

The Brazilian left-back has struggled to hold down a place in Liverpool's first XI after being regularly swapped with Andrea Dossena, but he believes Benitez's decisions to rest players will bear fruit.

"There are similarities with what happened at Valencia in terms of the rotation of the players," Aurelio told Liverpool's official website.

Experience

"Rafa knows when to rest players and back in 2002 we were fresher than other teams at the end of the season because he'd rested players at the right times.

"Of course Rafa has experience of winning titles so he knows how to keep focused, but also how to keep the morale high within the squad.

"He and (assistant manager) Sammy Lee are good at motivating the players."

Aurelio, though, has warned his Merseyside colleagues that they must keep their feet on the ground.

"We have a good opportunity to do something great for the club this year, but there is still a long way to go and we have to keep focused," he concluded.