Liverpool determined to sustain the high
Sunday, 22 March 2009
LIVERPOOL, Mar 21(AFP): Liverpool head into their match with Aston Villa desperate to avoid another feeling of anti-climax at Anfield.
The Reds know that they will have to win almost all of their remaining nine games in the Premier League to stand a chance of overhauling the leaders Manchester United.
And they go into the game with top-four challengers Villa on the back of a 4-0 win over Real Madrid and a 4-1 victory at Manchester United.
But Rafael Benitez's team will be mindful that the last time they returned to a more modest league encounter, they suffered a major jolt.
Following the high of a 1-0 win over Real Madrid in the Bernabeu, their Premier League hopes suffered a major blow with a 2-0 loss against Middlesbrough.
While Villa are a more dangerous proposition than Gareth Southgate's team, Liverpool accept that this will be seen as another test of their staying power.
Liverpool's title push has often foundered at home, where they have regularly been stifled.
They remain unbeaten in the league at Anfield but have been held to draws in six of their 14 home games.
The 12 points they have dropped - against Stoke, Fulham, West Ham, Hull, Everton and Manchester City - are likely to prove costly come the end the season. And Benitez, who is sure for a warm reception at Anfield after signing a new five- year contract, knows that his team can not afford any more slip ups if they are to maintain the pressure on Sir Alex Ferguson's men.
The Reds know that they will have to win almost all of their remaining nine games in the Premier League to stand a chance of overhauling the leaders Manchester United.
And they go into the game with top-four challengers Villa on the back of a 4-0 win over Real Madrid and a 4-1 victory at Manchester United.
But Rafael Benitez's team will be mindful that the last time they returned to a more modest league encounter, they suffered a major jolt.
Following the high of a 1-0 win over Real Madrid in the Bernabeu, their Premier League hopes suffered a major blow with a 2-0 loss against Middlesbrough.
While Villa are a more dangerous proposition than Gareth Southgate's team, Liverpool accept that this will be seen as another test of their staying power.
Liverpool's title push has often foundered at home, where they have regularly been stifled.
They remain unbeaten in the league at Anfield but have been held to draws in six of their 14 home games.
The 12 points they have dropped - against Stoke, Fulham, West Ham, Hull, Everton and Manchester City - are likely to prove costly come the end the season. And Benitez, who is sure for a warm reception at Anfield after signing a new five- year contract, knows that his team can not afford any more slip ups if they are to maintain the pressure on Sir Alex Ferguson's men.