Benitez pre-match conference ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Portsmouth focussed on two key matters at hand – firstly the growing list of injuries, and secondly the desire to finally break clear of that mid-table pack.
“Everyone is bunched in the centre – we need to keep going and do our job,” said Benitez.
“The situation is not clear, so we have to win all the time. We managed a 1-0 win against a very difficult Manchester City and we must do the same against Portsmouth, then direct our attention to our away form at Wigan.
“Teams seem to be consistent at home, but not away. The teams are so close and anyone can beat anyone else.
“What we need now is to get our injured players fit for the new year, against sides with smaller squads. That is now vital.”
Rafa – who has long said that Liverpool would start to reach their peak level from November onwards did offer some reassurance that the side were improving.
“We know we are getting closer to where we want to be,” he said.
“If we do beat Portsmouth and move into a higher position maybe people will start to have a different opinion of Liverpool and what we can achieve now we have made sure already of qualification for the next stage of the Champions League.
“We must continue to progress. I am not showing much interest in the table at the moment, maybe in two months it will be different.
“The race for third and fourth place is very open, more so than usual between several teams.
“When we talked of being contenders we believed that this season we would see the top clubs all losing more matches than before – you can see now that is the situation.
“Bolton can beat Arsenal. Teams can lose two or three in a row. The competition is therefore much closer, and the league is far more balanced than before.”
Benitez will have to decide between Carragher and Agger to partner Gerrard in the middle, but Jamie has the advantage having played there at international level.
“It is not easy for players to switch positions at this level,” he said.
“You need players with intelligence, like Jamie; tactically also he knows what to do in different roles.
“Jamie has played right-back and left-back this season, as well as in the centre. I know he can do whatever role I ask of him, so central midfield is not something he cannot handle.”
I think it’s high time Paul Anderson was given a go ahead, Rafa should be brave enough to provide the lad with a chance to feature on top level.