Rafa Benitez 300
Rafael Benitez is confident Liverpool can mount another Barclays Premier League title bid this season and remains calm despite his side’s unconvincing start to the campaign.
Doubts have been raised over whether a sustained challenge can come from Anfield considering the team have already lost three times - one more than the whole of the previous campaign - to lie six points behind leaders Chelsea after eight games.
Benitez believes running champions and arch-rivals Manchester United close last term, finishing four points behind the Old Trafford club, has brought positives and negatives and he maintains the mounting criticism is unjustified.
“The most difficult thing this season is to manage expectation,” the manager told liverpoolfc.tv.
“Last season we finished with 86 points and everyone was talking about this being the year.
“It’s a long race and if we make mistakes and give up too early it will be impossible.
“So the main thing for everyone here is to try to be calm and keep working hard.”
