Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has warned of the danger
of getting carried away with his team's impressive start to the
season ahead of his 250th game in charge against PSV Eindhoven in
the Champions League.
The Reds are unbeaten in the Premier League and are only behind
leaders Chelsea on goal difference having followed up a notable
victory over Manchester United at Anfield with a 2-0 win over
Everton in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Saturday.
After initially scraping past a resilient and impressive
Standard Liege side in a difficult qualification tie, Liverpool
began their Group D campaign with victory in Marseille.
Now they face PSV at Anfield on Wednesday knowing that another
three points will put them well on the way to qualification for the
knock-out stages.
It is a major change from their position at this point last
season when Liverpool were seemingly doing all they could to be
knocked out of the tournament with some dreadful, sloppy
performances.
But with just two defeats in their last 29 games in all
competitions - and one in their last 12 - the Reds are beginning to
show signs that they could be serious contenders on several fronts
and Benitez admitted that is a situation which slightly concerns
him.
"When you are playing well and winning games, with everyone
talking about how good you are, it is important to calm down and
get people talking only about the next game," he said.
"It is a dangerous when you hear people talking well about your
team, then we have to make sure we do not listen to what is being
said but just concentrate on the future.
"But it is better to manage expectations, like we are, than be
bottom of the table and trying to motivate players."
Benitez will have key midfielder Javier Mascherano back from a
calf injury to face the Eredivisie champions and has no other
worries as he attempts to score another European victory, which
would be the first time they have ever won their opening two group
fixtures.
The problem now for the Spaniard is the rampant expectation that
leads many to assume they will beat sides like PSV at home.
It does not help the Anfield coach's call for calm and
concentration when Liverpool have such a good record against
Eindhoven.
In 2006/07, on the way to the Athens final against AC Milan,
Liverpool met the Dutch club four times in the competition.
The sides played out a goalless draw in Holland in the group
stages with Liverpool winning the return 2-0, and they met again in
the quarter-final with the Reds winning 3-0 away and by a one-goal
margin at Anfield.
"PSV are a different side with a different manager and many
players since the last time we played them in Europe," Benitez
explained.
"Yes, we have beaten them at Anfield twice, but that is when
things can be dangerous. People expect things to happen.
"The fact that PSV lost their opening group match to Atletico
Madrid is also a problem for us.
"They have to get something here now and they will sit and
defend and try to catch us on the counter-attack.
"Technically they are very good and they are equally impressive
using such tactics. We must be very careful.
"Now when we are in a good situation, people are really happy,
and everybody is expecting to see the team playing well and scoring
goals. But I think it's more important to be concentrated to be
focused and keep on winning."
Benitez continued: "We had plenty of critics earlier in the
season who said we were winning but not playing well. That is true,
and we have plenty of room for improvement still.
"We are still suffering from players who have come back to us
after a hard summer playing in the Euro 2008 finals.
"If we can continue to improve physically, I would be happier.
Tactically the team is well organised and the players understand
what they are doing.
"We just have to keep going this way and make sure that we do
not experience what happened last season when we started out group
matches badly.
"If we can win this one and then next in Madrid, we will be
almost there. But you are always almost there until you finally
achieve it, nobody can relax."