Benitez: We’ve closed gap on United and we’re ready to
take their league title
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Rafa Benitez has insisted Liverpool are ready to close
the gap on champions Manchester United and finally end their
Premier League hoodoo.
Liverpool supporters have suffered for nearly 20 years at the
hands of their arch-rivals, with United cleaning up the major
silverware and matching their 18 league titles. But Liverpool
finished only four points below United last season, and Benitez
believes his side have never been closer to Sir Alex Ferguson’s
men.
The Spaniard, who celebrates five years in charge on Tuesday,
said: ‘If you analyse the number of points (86) you see it’s a
record for the club in the Premier League. ‘We are going forward,
we are progressing. For the future this is good news and hopefully
this is the beginning of something important.
‘In terms of the consistency of the team we’ve been really good.
The squad is better, the mentality is very good and the players are
competing for their positions.’ Liverpool beat United twice in the
league last tern, with their victory at Old Trafford in March
briefly threatening to derail Ferguson’s side.
But even though United went on to claim their 18th crown,
Benitez has insisted it is only the extra strength in depth of the
champions that has proved the difference. He added: ‘We won against
them twice this year. We’ve shown we can beat anyone. Clearly we
have enough quality in the team.
‘The squad is good but against us United had Ryan Giggs, Paul
Scholes and
Dimitar Berbatov on the bench. ‘Each year is different but we are
closer, we have more confidence, and the experience of this year
will be good for next season.
‘You never know but it seems like we are reducing the gap.’
Liverpool last won the league title in 1990, when United had only
seven to their name, but Ferguson has set about reshaping the
outlook of English football since then.
Benitez claimed the Champions league and FA Cup in his first two
seasons in charge with Liverpool, but after three trophyless
seasons many supporters are likely to be demanding the title before
long.
