Benitez demands final push for fourth

Rafael Benitez will demand that his players put Champions League glory out of their minds and transform their last two crucial league matches into finals in their own right.

Liverpool now know that unless UEFA have a major change of heart and allow the Champions League holders into next season's competition to defend their crown, the only way the Anfield men will be amongst Europe's elite next term is by finishing fourth in the Premiership.

Many Liverpool fans are still celebrating reaching the final, but boss Benitez knows he dare not allow that level of euphoria to spread to his own dressing room.

To snatch fourth place from Everton, Liverpool must win at Arsenal on Sunday and beat Aston Villa a week later--while praying the Toffees slip up.

Benitez said: "We have to treat the Arsenal game like a Champions League tie, the final in fact. It will be difficult now to reach fourth spot but we will try to the end, and these last two league matches are absolutely vital.

"If we can win at Arsenal and maybe other results go our way, then we will still have the opportunity to qualify for the Champions League from our league position.

"We will go into the Arsenal game knowing it is another final for us, a Champions League game and one we have to win.

"I have no comment on the situation over qualification for next season, the best thing is not to talk about all the things surrounding that. My objective is to take the team to Arsenal concentrating on one thing, and that is winning.

"Afterwards maybe we can talk, but the most important thing is to be focused on this one match and not all the things around us."

Liverpool will have midfielder Xabi Alonso back in the squad at Highbury after being suspended for the midweek Champions League semi-final triumph over Chelsea.

Fernando Morientes is in the squad after injury, while Mauricio Pellegrino is also available. But Benitez admits he will hope to field as close to his final side in Istanbul on May 25 against AC Milan, in the two league games that can control the club's long term destiny.

He says: "The players will be able to concentrate after the Chelsea night, they all understand how important these last few games are now for us. They know we need to play as well as possible now and then later in the final."

However, one serious contender for Istanbul is Djibril Cisse, a late and effective substitute against Chelsea.

The French striker has battled back from a badly broken-leg and seems near to full fitness.

Benitez may well take the opportunity of using him from the start at Highbury as he considers his striking options.

He said: "Cisse is a possible starter at Highbury, each day he is better. It depends on the system and it depends on how Milan Baros' fitness is. He has run and worked hard on his own at times of late.

"Cisse needs to play, and we can us him in a partnership with Baros. With Morientes not fit at the moment, these are the things I must consider, Fernando of course cannot play in the final anyway.

"And I do not have problems with selection now. All the players want to play. We have two league games and then a full week to recuperate before the final, we can work on set pieces and plan how we will play in Istanbul.

"The players have had two days off and that was good for them, but they are back and thinking about Arsenal. But you can see them happy and believing in themselves.

"In my opinion they have more confidence than before, they have watched the video of the Chelsea match and they now know that they are capable of beating any team in the league, including Arsenal. They are a good team but we can beat them".