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Rafael Benitez will continue to shoulder the burden of criticism
for his faltering Liverpool team as he has "absolute faith" in his
methods.
Sunday's defeat to Arsenal, having taken a first-half lead,
was their sixth of the season and left them five points adrift of
the Champions League places.
However, Benitez is prepared to "guarantee" that the club
will finish in the top four this season as he believes only minor
changes need to be made.
This is undoubtedly the most difficult period of his
five-year reign, Liverpool having won the Champions League and FA
Cup in his first two seasons.
But the Spaniard insists the critics will not force him to
deviate from his beliefs.
"I think it is very important for any manager, but especially
here in England, to be strong," he said.
"You have to show you have an idea, you have your own people
that you can talk with and analyse things and say 'This is the way
to do things' and we have to keep going.
"The main thing for me is to come here early in the morning,
do my job, go home still working a little bit and try to be ready
for the next day.
"That is the way to do things and that is an example for the
players - and they are doing the same thing.
"For five years I think we were doing well so we have to keep
going in the same way because the club is stronger now in
everything: the squad, the value of the club is better than five
years ago.
"Yes it is a bad moment but I still think we can improve.
"You cannot be negative. You have to think about the
positives. The manager has to be positive and I am positive."
Liverpool face Wigan at home on Wednesday night knowing only
a victory - they have won just three of the last 15 matches - will
stop the pressure reaching unbearable levels.
Vice-captain Jamie Carragher was only slightly joking on
Monday when he said he prayed every night that the club win the
Europa League or FA Cup and finish in the top four.
Benitez is a man who prefers to take the uncertainty out of
such a situation and firmly believes there is plenty of room for
improvement and his side should not be judged until May.
"I think Carra was using an expression...trying to say
something that we know - that we have to work harder and have to
stick together," said the Liverpool boss.
"The best way to do things is to try to do your best every
single day.
"I think it is a question of keeping things how they were in
the first half [against Arsenal] then it will be easier to win
games.
"We are so close to doing well. If we had won against Arsenal
people would be talking about Arsenal today."
Liverpool have won just once at Anfield - admittedly against
arch-rivals Manchester United - since September 26.
Benitez knows they have to start stringing results together
if they are not to lose further ground on the likes of Aston Villa,
Tottenham and Manchester City who are all currently contenders for
Champions League qualification.
But he refuses to look beyond the next match.
"Every game for us is a game we have to win. Sometimes you
can, sometimes you can't," said the Spaniard.
"Everything can be improved and if we make mistakes we keep
going.
"There are still 22 games to play so we know we have to
change our target.
"Now it is to get three points against Wigan and then start
thinking about Portsmouth (at the weekend).
"I have to have confidence in my team and I am sure we can do
it because I know we are better than the team you are seeing on the
pitch.
"I can guarantee we will finish in the top four."
