Benitez eyes pivotal week

Rafael Benitez has admitted Liverpool face an 'important week' as they gear up for three crunch fixtures.

The Reds play host to Portsmouth in the Barclays Premier League tonight before attempting to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit in Thursday's Europa League last 16 tie with Lille at Anfield.

A trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Sunday concludes the week - and Benitez knows his side faces one the most important seven-day periods of their season so far.

"It is important to win - if you can play well it will be easier - but the main thing is to win," he said.

"Every week is important for a top side. Now we are in a position where we have to think about the Europa League or to be in the top four.

"If we are in a better position (by the end of next Sunday) it will be an important week, if we are in a worse position it will still be an important week anyway."

Pompey are first up on the agenda, and Liverpool will be aiming to bolster their top four push by collecting three points against the Barclay Premier League's bottom club.

The Reds are currently four points behind fourth place Tottenham Hotspur - but Benitez reckons studying the table is not beneficial at this stage.

"The players know every week things can change. It is not helpful to our cause. It is important to concentrate on our next game," he said.

"Normally we don't see the table too much so we try to concentrate just on the next game."

Liverpool will hope to avenge a 2-0 defeat suffered at Portsmouth in December, in which Javier Mascherano was sent off just before half-time.

Benitez acknowledges the memories of that afternoon could serve as extra motivation for his players, although he believes Pompey remain a difficult proposition despite their position in the table.

"If we can use a defeat to help us then we can do it," added the Spaniard.

"But it does not matter for the players which game it is - especially this match; there was a bad decision by the referee to send off Mascherano and after that we conceded a second goal.

"I think maybe we can see another good reaction from the players.

"But Portsmouth have good players, a good manager and at this moment they have nothing to lose so they will be dangerous."

Video: LFC v Pompey goal montage>>