Benitez plays down pressure talk

Venue: Anfield Date: Sunday, 1 February Kick-off: 1600 GMT
Coverage: Live on Sky Sports 1. Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Merseyside 95.8 FM, 1485 MW and DAB & BBC London 94.9, DAB and the station's website; text commentary on BBC Sport website & highlights on Match of the Day 2

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Benitez was in belligerent mood ahead of his side's crunch clash with Chelsea

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has dismissed suggestions his team are under pressure ahead of Sunday's match with title rivals Chelsea at Anfield.

Four straight draws have seen Benitez's side slip from the top of the Premier League to third, two points behind new table toppers Manchester United.

But the Spaniard said: "I am pleased to be where we are, close to the top.

"We're eight points better than at this time last season and if we beat Chelsea you will say we're back in the race."

The Reds are on a 15-match unbeaten run, but seven draws in their last 11 league outings have coincided with a run of six straight wins for United, who have also gone 11 matches without conceding a goal.

The run has come on the back of Benitez's now infamous outburst against United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, in which he claimed they benefit from favourable treatment from the Football Association and bullied match officials.

However, Benitez insists he and his team are not buckling under the pressure of the title race, saying: "This Chelsea match has always been a must-win-game - as they all are.

"After my comments about Mr Ferguson, we still knew we had to win at Stoke. Those words didn't change anything on the pitch.

"The same applies to other games this month that have followed some controversy.

606: DEBATE My personnel view why we haven't won the title in all those years is because we give our managers too long, including Rafa RedBangla

"Every point is important - it doesn't matter what is being said off the pitch. It is a very long race. I have confidence in my team and my players - and they have a good mentality. They must go on to the pitch to show their qualities."

And Benitez has earned sympathy and support from Chelsea counterpart Luiz Felipe Scolari, who has also found himself under pressure this campaign amid rumours of dressing room unrest.

"I look at him as a friend - who had a kidney stone like me," said the Brazilian, referring to Benitez's recent surgery. "He had to go three times in the hospital - me, only once.

"He has the same problems as I have building a team. We have some problems and we try to build the best - but sometimes the result is not what I want or he wants. He tries to work hard."

But sympathy will be left on the sidelines for Sunday's match - with Scolari more than aware of the threat of the Reds, and captain Steven Gerrard, at Anfield.

"Gerrard is a fantastic player - one of the best in this position," said Scolari. "It's not only Gerrard, though.

"He's fantastic because he scores, marks, dribbles, crosses. He's the complete player.

"But the other players together help him to be that. I'm thinking about the complete Liverpool."

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