Sunday, April 11, 2010

Rafa Benitez Urges Liverpool To Carry On European Form Versus Fulham

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez wants his team to pick up where they left off with victory over Fulham in the Premier League.

The Reds battered Benfica 4-1 in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday to win the tie 5-3 on aggregate.

And now Benitez wants to continue the momentum versus Roy Hodgson’s Fulham team, who also succeeded in midweek versus Wolfsburg, which could set up an all-English final versus the Anfield outfit.

The Spaniard is not giving up of finish fourth in the league and feels the tone has now been set for the final five games of the campaign, beginning with Fulham at home.

Benitez said: "I think it is important when you are playing well and scoring goals to keep the momentum. Hopefully we can keep this level.

"The fans and the atmosphere were very good and the players have an extra motivation when they can feel the atmosphere.

"We know we are in a position that it depends on others making mistakes but we have to do our job.

"We cannot be watching the others, we have to win our games.

"We have to concentrate on the next game, get three points and then get ready for the next one.

"I am still confident if we do our job we will be there.

"It is really important to score a lot of goals at home. The players will have more confidence and we know we will have to start with it against Fulham."

Liverpool missed an opportunity to get themselves back within touching distance of the top four as they were held at St Andrew's 1-1 by Birmingham last weekend.

It was just one of a number of disappointing results for the Reds this term but Benitez is adamant all is not lost.

He added: "We knew before when we had six games left we could draw only one.

"Everybody thought of maybe drawing against Chelsea but now we have drawn against Birmingham so we have to win the others."

Sunday's encounter could be the first of two meetings between the two clubs should both win through to the Europa League final.

Benitez has respect for the achievements of the Cottagers and their manager Roy Hodgson.

"Hopefully we can see Fulham in the final and there will be two English teams there. That will be very good for England. Fulham are doing very well."

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