Rafa Benitez tells players: Keep your cool today

Oct 20 2007

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is calling for his players to keep their cool as they are pitched straight into the combustible atmosphere of a Merseyside derby on their return from the international break.

With many of the squad having been away with their countries in the last fortnight, a visit to their near neighbours across Stanley Park may be just what they need to get them up to speed in the Barclays Premier League.

However, one of the most fiercely-contested derbies in Britain often throws up its fair share of flashpoints and Benitez is keen for his side to maintain their focus.

Everton defender Alan Stubbs stoked the fires this week by suggesting big clubs should be looking to win the league every year - a swipe at Benitez labelling the Toffees as a “smaller” team after the previous derby in February.

And although Liverpool’s last visit to Goodison Park ended in an embarrassing 3-0 defeat 13 months ago, the Reds boss stressed there were no thoughts of revenge.

“In these kind of games it is more important because everyone is talking about the rivalry between both teams,” he said ahead of the 206th Merseyside derby.

“You must be as focused as always with maybe more determination. You must analyse the game with a cool mind because if you think about last year you will lose your concentration and it is important to make the right decisions.”

Asked whether Stubbs’ comments would provide extra motivation, Benitez added: “The majority of our players were away so I don’t think they will have been reading the press.”

The manager could potentially field six Merseyside derby debutants in Fernando Torres, Alvaro Arbeloa, Andriy Voronin, Ryan Babel, Yossi Benayoun and Javier Mascherano but that does not concern him as he has confidence all his players can cope with the pressure.

“The players with experience in derbies know what it means and the new players will see in the first minute,” he added.

“It will be easy for me to motivate the players.”

Liverpool are struggling for form at the moment and since going top of the Premier League with a 6-0 victory over Derby on September 1 they have scraped past Wigan 1-0 and drawn against Portsmouth and Tottenham.

Benitez accepts his side are not at their best but he has faith in his methods and his squad to be able to turn it around.

However, he warned against attaching too much significance on one derby match, especially as Liverpool have a crucial Champions League trip to Besiktas on Wednesday ahead of the visit of Arsenal next week.

“If you are top of the table or bottom of the table it doesn’t matter because this game is different,” said the Spaniard.

“Collective responsibility is not the key just for this game it is the key for a winning team.

“If you have everyone working hard and pushing in the same direction you have a winning team.

“It is a good game for us now because we are not playing well and this one after the international break is important for our confidence.

“But you cannot think about one game. If we can win this one, then the next one against Arsenal is the most important league game.

“In football everything goes so quickly so it is important to be calm, look at the big picture and analyse everything.

“You have to say, ’I have a lot of confidence in my team, I want to win trophies with my club so if I have confidence how can I do this?’ By working hard and getting the right selection.”

Torres is making good progress from a thigh problem and Benitez is hopeful his record signing will play at Goodison, while midfielder Xabi Alonso is close to a return after recovering from a broken metatarsal.