Benitez remains confident of title challenge
Tuesday, 19 September 2006 22:25Rafael Benitez is refusing to panic amid the criticism that has accompanied Liverpool's poor start to the Barclays Premiership season.
The Reds boss sends his team into action against Newcastle tomorrow sitting uncomfortably in 15th spot, having suffered two defeats already and knowing they will drop even further if the Magpies can record their first league win at Anfield since 1994.
Having begun the campaign with such high hopes of mounting a sustained challenge to champions Chelsea, Liverpool's title aspirations are already being written off in some quarters.
Yet, Benitez is refusing to be deflected from the bigger picture and insists his side will eventually come good.
'Yes, we would have liked more points but there is nothing we can do to change the table now,' he said.
'There is no sense of panic. I have seen the squad in training. I know their qualities and I know we need to remain calm.
'We all want to win every game and be at the top of the table from the beginning until the end. But you also need to think about the season, the number of games and the number of competitions.
'For small clubs, maybe it is enough to say we beat this particular club. It is not the same for the big clubs. We want to win trophies and you cannot win the league in the first week of the season, you need to wait until the end.'
Benitez is bemused the logic of some pundits' claims Liverpool cannot win the championship from their current position - eight points adrift of Manchester United and Chelsea - while Arsenal can, even though the Gunners are only a point better off.
The Spaniard's continued optimism for the campaign ahead is reinforced by a belief neither Chelsea, nor anyone else, will run away with the title in the manner of recent seasons.
That all the big four have lost at least once so far suggests his theory will be proven correct. 'It will be different this year,' he said.
'I do think Chelsea will drop more points. A lot of teams have improved from last year and things can change suddenly every week.'
