Benitez looks ahead to Mersey derby
Liverpool managed to pick up a vital three points in their push for a Champions League spot with a 2-0 victory over relegation-threatened Bolton. Anfield boss Rafael Benitez admitted his side were fortunate to secure all three points on Saturday, but is now targetting victory in next weekend’s Merseyside derby.
The victory over Bolton was the Reds fourth win on the spin at Anfield as Benitez works to ensure Liverpool qualify for next seasons Champions League.
Benitez was honest with his assessment, but believes his side deserved the win and was delighted with the result, saying: “It could have been worse in the first half, but was much better in the second half. For everyone here it was important just to win.
“In the first half there was one or two chances. The second half was totally different – we had more control, more opportunities – but in football you have to take your chances.
“The second half we were pushing, we played much better so it was a big difference from the first half.”
Next up for Liverpool are city rivals Everton who make the (very) short trip to Anfield on February 6. In a strange was the two side’s fortunes have mirrored each other through the course of the campaign so far. Everton fans were expecting their team to be competing for European football and fighting it out with the top eight or nine sides in the league. However, they endured a difficult start to the season and had won just four games all season until recently, where a run of four wins in five games has seen them march up the Premier League table.
After a second-placed finish last season and a sustained title challenge last season Liverpool were tipped by many to go one better and take the title for the first time in over 20 years. However, like Everton, Liverpool suffered a poor start and it is starting to look as if they may even miss out on Champions League football next season.
As we enter the latter half of the season both Merseyside clubs have found themselves in better form, Everton are now in with a shout at a place in next season’s Europa League, while Liverpool are competing for fourth spot. The upcoming fixture would be important for both clubs regardless of the opponent but because it is a derby it makes it all the more vital to emerge with three points.
Following the victory and clean-sheet Benitez admitted he was pleased to secure three points but turned his attention to next week, as he knows the hard work isn’t over just yet.
He added: “It’s another clean sheet, it’s really positive and hopefully it’ll be better for the confidence for the next game against Everton. We have to win games and we are winning some of them.”
Both teams head into this is fine form, with neither having lost in their last six fixtures. As always I’m expecting a hard-fought encounter at Anfield and it will be a close game. However, Liverpool have turned Anfield into a bit of a fortress of late and I reckon they might just emerge with all three points as at the moment it is their fortunes on their travels which is letting them down.
Written by Carl Hector, a sports writer who blogs about Irish racing, Premier League football and the Cheltenham Festival 2010.
Tags: liverpool, Rafael Benitez