“Yes, this is a make-or-break game, clearly it is a crucial game for us,” said the Spaniard. “We were not playing well but then if we win we will be just one point behind. We have to do our job, especially at home.

“There’s a big difference between being one point behind and seven points behind. If Tottenham win, it will give them a buzz and a lift and they will have confidence, but if we can beat them then we’ll be in a good position. Win, and it will be a totally different situation. We will be so close and the race will be between four teams.”

Liverpool, who will also be without Fernando Torres, Glen Johnson and Yossi Benayoun, can leapfrog Villa with a win that would also move them to within a point of City.

And Benitez reckons the fact his team are still fighting for fourth despite such an underwhelming campaign is evidence of the increased competitiveness in the Premier League.

“Are we fortunate to be in this position? You can say the same thing to the other teams,” he said. “They have also had some problems because that is the way the league is this year.”

While Daniel Agger is again struggling with the groin problem that forced him to miss Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Stoke City, Benitez could hand Maxi Rodriguez a full debut as he ponders recalling Alberto Aquilani and Albert Riera to the starting line-up.

All three were on the bench at the Britannia Stadium, enough for some pundits to launch into a bitter diatribe against what they perceived as a negative team selection.

But Benitez hit back yesterday and said: “I was thinking of playing with Torres, I couldn’t. Gerrard, was impossible. Yossi, I couldn’t. Agger, was very difficult. Johnson, I was trying to find him but I couldn’t. But also Kelly, Nabil. Riera was coming back from injury, Maxi was just arriving, so it was difficult to find 11 strikers.

“Do I disagree with those who say we were defensive? Think about the squad we had available.”

Ryan Babel will again be considered for selection after Benitez chose to draw a line under the Dutchman’s recent controversy, sparked by the player announcing his absence from the weekend squad on social networking website ‘Twitter’.

“He apologised and for me that is the end of the matter,” said the Liverpool manager. “He knows he made a mistake. I want the best for the team and the best for the team is to have players ready.”