LIVERPOOL manager Rafael Benitez has called for his players to ‘repeat the trick’ when they face Newcastle United on Sunday.

Ahead of the Anfield clash, Benitez relived his side’s 5-1 demolition of the Magpies in December describing it as “nearly a perfect game for us”.

With Premier League title rivals Manchester United playing the day before at Middlesbrough, Liverpool could find themselves six points behind the leaders come the 1.30pm kick-off on Sunday.

Therefore Benitez today urged his squad to be as impressive as they were the last time they locked horns with Newcastle as a double from Steven Gerrard and strikes courtesy of Sami Hyypia, Ryan Babel and Xavi Alonso sealed a memorable win.

Benitez said: “We were really good. We were in control, we had a lot of chances and their goalkeeper was man of the match. It was nearly a perfect game for us.

“It will be different this time because they have a different manager and are in a different situation.

“Clearly they need to win so I don’t think they’ll be waiting and waiting for a draw. They have quality players in attack.

“We just need to keep doing our job and we have the confidence to keep winning games. If Manchester United make a mistake then we have to be ready. We must take three points from each game and then see what happens.

“We will not give up until the end.”

Liverpool were a potent attacking force that afternoon and Benitez has hailed their current scoring exploits.

With 30 goals in the last nine league games, the Liverpool manager believes people are starting to see his side’s strengths do not just lie with the back four.

He added: “Sometimes people criticise us and say we are a defensive team but clearly we are a team that is always attacking.

“When we are 1-0 up we always look for the other goal.

“The number of goals that we have scored this season shows that we are an offensive team that also normally defends really well.”