Rafael Benitez reckons that just one win against
Champions League finalists Manchester United would change
Liverpool's season next time around.
Such has been Liverpool's dreadful recent record against
the champions, that even co-owner Tom Hicks suggested after
December's home defeat that the Reds did not look as if they
believed they could beat their rivals.
It is certainly a matter of worry for fans and seeing United win
their 17th league title - one short of Liverpool's record - and
reach another European Cup final has heightened the concern.
Benitez accepts the problem and told the LFC magazine: "If you
beat Manchester United once it results in a six-point swing either
way and that can be the difference."
Liverpool finished 11 points behind the champions this season
and Benitez wants his team to be hungrier next term.
He said: "Clearly, just one team can win the league, so it
doesn't really matter if you are three, six, nine or 11 points
behind as we are this season.
"It is not a massive difference. It may just come down to one
game over the course of a season.
"The key for me is knowing there is a difference between us and
the three teams above us and that we must now reduce this gap.
"It was not massive this season. We came closer than last
season. Hopefully next season we will be closer again, maybe even
on top of them."