Benitez demands concentration

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has reminded his side that there is no margin for error in the fight for a place in the UEFA Champions League.

The Reds' disappointing season has seen them slip from title contenders in 2008/09 to battling for fourth place in the Premier League.

Tottenham, Manchester City and Aston Villa are also scrapping for a coveted spot in the European Cup, but the trio are not in league action this weekend and Benitez wants to take advantage.

With Spurs and Villa in the FA Cup quarter-finals and City not playing, Liverpool will be desperate for three points when they travel to Wigan on Monday in order to increase the pressure on their rivals.

"Manchester City, Tottenham and Aston Villa will be very dangerous so we cannot make many mistakes," said Benitez.

"We know last year was really good in terms of points in the league (86) and now we are in a different and more difficult situation because the expectations were very high.

"It is really difficult because we have three or four teams really close."

Liverpool have lost just once in the league in their last 10 matches and Benitez knows that form must continue.

"We have to keep this momentum and prove, show everyone else, we are good enough," he added.

"I prefer to be positive and we will play well and continue to win."

A match on Monday raises hopes defender Glen Johnson could make his long-awaited return from a knee injury, which has kept him out since the end of December.

With Martin Skrtel's broken foot ruling him out for two months, fellow centre-back Daniel Agger troubled by a knee problem sustained against Blackburn and Fabio Aurelio sidelined for three weeks with a thigh injury, defensive resources are thin.

Central defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos returns after suspension, but a comeback for Johnson would be timely.

"We had problems on the right side (against Blackburn) with Mascherano playing full-back, which was a difficult decision," admitted Benitez.

"All the teams have good and bad moments, but they still have to carry on and go forward.

"If you analyse some games we have had too many injuries with big names unable to play."

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.