Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Benitez Warns Troops Off Derby Complacency


Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has warned his team not to take their Boxing Day encounter with Derby County lightly.

Basement boys Derby County welcome Liverpool to Pride Park on December 26th, and although the Reds are hot favourites, Rafael Benitez (pictured) has characteristically warned his team off complacency.

The Spaniard told the Daily Mail, "Everyone is expecting us to beat Derby but we have had experience of Reading so we will have a lot of respect for Derby and will try to win this game.

"When you play away against a team which is battling relegation it is always very difficult."

Indeed, Benitez is clearly haunted by that Reading encounter, where his team fell to a shock 3-1 defeat to lose ground on league leaders Arsenal.

However, he believes that maintaining his rotation policy will ultimately lead to success.

"Sometimes you can use the same player, sometimes you use the squad," he continued.

"I like to use the squad because this is the key if you want to reduce the gap - it is using the right players at the right moment.

"When you play four games in 12 days it is such a short time you can change players and they can understand.

"Sometimes when you play one game a week and you leave six players out of the squad it is more difficult to explain but this situation is easier."

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