Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez wants to try to win the FA Cup after admitting that a Premier League title challenge may now be beyond his team.
Blue Square South team Havant & Waterlooville travel up to Anfield for today’s fourth round tie which will be the ultimate David versus Goliath clash.
However, Benitez, who yesterday received the full backing of the club’s US owners, insists that his side will not underestimate their opponents, particularly now that the FA Cup looks like Liverpool’s best chance for silverware this season.
The Spaniard, who will hand new signing Martin Skrtel his first start today, was accused of not taking football’s oldest competition seriously in his first season in England when a weakened Liverpool team crashed out in the third round but he went on to lift the trophy the following year.
With Liverpool now seemingly out of the title race, Benitez has earmarked the FA Cup as a major target.
He said: “For us it’s really important. We want to progress, we want to win this competition if possible.
“We must treat the other team with a lot of respect.
“I think it is very difficult (for Liverpool to win the Premier League this season), you must be realistic.
“I can say things for people who don’t want to lose their hope but I think it is important to know what there are two good teams (Manchester United and Arsenal) at the top of the table now with a lot of points and one behind them (Chelsea) and another one (Everton).
“So we must be realistic and try and win every game and see what the situation is every week, concentrating on all the games but one game at a time.”
Benitez added: “We have three competitions and I don’t want to say that we’re in a bad situation.
“We are in the Champions League, we are in the FA Cup and we are fifth in the table now.
“In the cup competitions you have to progress, in the league it’s simple – try to win the next game, try to be in the top four and after this try to be closer to the third position, then the second position.
“I’ve said before that if you want to score a lot of goals you need to score the first goal.
“If you want to talk about more things you need to be in the top four.
“I think the pressure (to finish in the top four) is more or less the same, every year with a top side you want to win trophies and finish as high possible in the league and progress in all the competitions.”
Liverpool’s title chances were written off earlier this week by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson but Benitez, received some unexpected backing from his opposite number at Old Trafford.
But while the Spaniard was grateful for the support of the Scot who has won the Premier League nine times, he does not go along with his comments that Liverpool will struggle to attract top class players.
He said: “I must say thank you to Sir Alex Ferguson for his support, it’s not normal (you hear these things) so I’m really pleased.
“My personal relationship with him is good.
“In terms of the club I always want to win so to bring top class players here is our target so I think we can do it.”
Argentinian international Javier Mascherano would probably fit into that bracket and Benitez remains confident that he will sign a permanent deal with Liverpool after his loan spell at Anfield expires at the end of the season.
Speculation had mounted that the midfielder could leave the club at the end of the season if the US owners did not fund his transfer but Benitez believes that a deal will be struck with the impending sale of Momo Sissoko helping with the finances.
He said: “The contact I have with the owners has been positive and that means we are progressing with the situations of Sissoko and Mascherano have been positive.
“That’s a normal thing in this period of January.
“The player (Mascherano) wants to stay. When you talk with him it’s the same situation as me. You can feel the support of the fans.
“I think he is really happy here as he feels that support.”
Meanwhile, Benitez confirmed that Charles Itandje will play in goal and Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are all in the squad although the influential trio are expected to start on the bench.
Blue Square South team Havant & Waterlooville travel up to Anfield for today’s fourth round tie which will be the ultimate David versus Goliath clash.
However, Benitez, who yesterday received the full backing of the club’s US owners, insists that his side will not underestimate their opponents, particularly now that the FA Cup looks like Liverpool’s best chance for silverware this season.
The Spaniard, who will hand new signing Martin Skrtel his first start today, was accused of not taking football’s oldest competition seriously in his first season in England when a weakened Liverpool team crashed out in the third round but he went on to lift the trophy the following year.
With Liverpool now seemingly out of the title race, Benitez has earmarked the FA Cup as a major target.
He said: “For us it’s really important. We want to progress, we want to win this competition if possible.
“We must treat the other team with a lot of respect.
“I think it is very difficult (for Liverpool to win the Premier League this season), you must be realistic.
“I can say things for people who don’t want to lose their hope but I think it is important to know what there are two good teams (Manchester United and Arsenal) at the top of the table now with a lot of points and one behind them (Chelsea) and another one (Everton).
“So we must be realistic and try and win every game and see what the situation is every week, concentrating on all the games but one game at a time.”
Benitez added: “We have three competitions and I don’t want to say that we’re in a bad situation.
“We are in the Champions League, we are in the FA Cup and we are fifth in the table now.
“In the cup competitions you have to progress, in the league it’s simple – try to win the next game, try to be in the top four and after this try to be closer to the third position, then the second position.
“I’ve said before that if you want to score a lot of goals you need to score the first goal.
“If you want to talk about more things you need to be in the top four.
“I think the pressure (to finish in the top four) is more or less the same, every year with a top side you want to win trophies and finish as high possible in the league and progress in all the competitions.”
Liverpool’s title chances were written off earlier this week by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson but Benitez, received some unexpected backing from his opposite number at Old Trafford.
But while the Spaniard was grateful for the support of the Scot who has won the Premier League nine times, he does not go along with his comments that Liverpool will struggle to attract top class players.
He said: “I must say thank you to Sir Alex Ferguson for his support, it’s not normal (you hear these things) so I’m really pleased.
“My personal relationship with him is good.
“In terms of the club I always want to win so to bring top class players here is our target so I think we can do it.”
Argentinian international Javier Mascherano would probably fit into that bracket and Benitez remains confident that he will sign a permanent deal with Liverpool after his loan spell at Anfield expires at the end of the season.
Speculation had mounted that the midfielder could leave the club at the end of the season if the US owners did not fund his transfer but Benitez believes that a deal will be struck with the impending sale of Momo Sissoko helping with the finances.
He said: “The contact I have with the owners has been positive and that means we are progressing with the situations of Sissoko and Mascherano have been positive.
“That’s a normal thing in this period of January.
“The player (Mascherano) wants to stay. When you talk with him it’s the same situation as me. You can feel the support of the fans.
“I think he is really happy here as he feels that support.”
Meanwhile, Benitez confirmed that Charles Itandje will play in goal and Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are all in the squad although the influential trio are expected to start on the bench.
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