Benítez plotting greatest
comeback since Valencia at Liverpool
Liverpool are drawing encouragement from their manager's recent
history as they contemplate the possibility of overhauling
Manchester United and Chelsea at the top of the Premiership, with
Rafael Benítez having inspired a similarly unlikely pursuit at
Valencia.
Five years ago this week Benítez responded to successive defeats by
calling an impromptu press conference at the Mestalla. Valencia had
just lost at home to Valladolid to leave them nine points off the
leaders, Real Madrid, with disaffection sweeping through the stands
and the boardroom. And yet Benítez insisted his side could still
claim their first Primera Division title in 31 years, with the
subsequent 17 matches yielding a staggering 13 wins and a single
defeat.
By the time Real Betis were overcome on the final afternoon,
Valencia had built a seven-point lead at the top and Benitez's
reputation was established. The Spaniard, his side trailing United
by 11 points with 14 games to play, is now hoping he can instigate
a similar late-season charge with Liverpool in the
Premiership.
"You have to be calm and quiet about your targets," he said,
adopting a more subdued approach to five years ago following
Saturday's 2-0 victory over Chelsea. "We're five points behind and
it's a long race, but we're in form and we can try and get even
closer now.
"We've shown, by beating Chelsea in the manner we did, that we are
a very good team. We have a better squad than before, and we can
beat anyone. We'd done it in the cups in the past, but now we've
done it in the Premier League. Can we do what we did at Valencia?
I'll tell you in three or four weeks, but if we maintain this form,
we'll be a lot closer to Manchester United as well as to
Chelsea."
In Liverpool's favour is the fact that they must still welcome
United to Anfield, where they are unbeaten in the league since
October 2005, with Arsenal also due on Merseyside before the end of
the campaign. Liverpool have won eight of their past nine league
games and, with 46 points, have a one more than they did at this
stage last season.
Certain members of Benítez's playing staff are still urging
caution, but there was clear satisfaction in having finally
triumphed in the Premiership against the champions. "We had a good
weekend, but there's no point putting any pressure on ourselves,"
said Jamie Carragher.
"We've got to just focus on winning as many games as we can and
keep the pressure on the top two. The target now is to catch
Chelsea. That's what Saturday's result has done for us. We've given
ourselves a chance."
