Benitez looks to bridge gap

English Premier League: There is no Jose Mourinho to stir the controversy ahead of Liverpool's visit to Chelsea tomorrow but the loss of Rafael Benitez's greatest irritant (pre-Hicks and Gillett) has not diminished the importance of the occasion for the Spaniard. The defence of his Premier League credentials may depend upon it.

Chelsea v Liverpool Venue: Stamford Bridge Kick-off: Tomorrow, 4pm On TV: Sky Sports 1

Gone are the days when Liverpool and Chelsea would delay press conferences in order for their Iberian managers to have the last word before a tussle and it was akin to Tom minus Jerry this week as the Spaniard struggled to vent his frustrations without his absent foe.

A succinct, "I am not surprised Avram Grant is doing well, Chelsea have spent a lot of money," was the sum total of his Stamford Bridge envy. Though it also pains Benitez that, like Tom, he is still the one in pursuit. While a 17-point gap between Liverpool and leaders Arsenal has dispirited Anfield, as much as Tom Hicks and George Gillett's stewardship has caused revolt off the field, the 11-points separating Benitez's team from Chelsea in third indicates this season is not a contest between the "big four", but a "big three" with the rest scrapping for the fourth Champions League position.

Altering that perspective between now and May will have a major bearing on whether the Liverpool manager can convince his employers, whether they be American or the lurking Dubai International Capital, his expertise is not confined to knock-out football.

In three full seasons in England Benitez has not gleaned a single point from nine visits to Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford or Arsenal. Liverpool travel to all three in their next four away league games with the Reebok Stadium, stage of two league defeats and one draw for Benitez, the other stop in a sequence that could invigorate battered self-esteem or broaden the chasm between supposed rivals for the championship.

That remains in the realm of conjecture. Beyond argument is Liverpool's need for a marked improvement on any league performance produced since the 4-1 defeat of Portsmouth on December 22nd. Without the injured Fernando Torres, the suspended Xabi Alonso and with the potentially jet-lagged Javier Mascherano following his exertions for Argentina in Los Angeles, it will be a test of Liverpool's mentality as much as the depth of their squad as to whether a transformation is possible.

"I think we can do it," insisted Benitez. "We have shown in different games against Chelsea we are capable of doing it. When you play against a top team, it's clear you need to play extremely well because it's very difficult to play badly and win against a top team. We are fighting for fourth position and if we beat Chelsea we can maybe think about third. But we are running out of games and, if we don't, it will be much more difficult."

The Liverpool manager's optimism is shared among players who have been divided on whether the club's ownership problems have affected their performances but who, according to John Arne Riise, have returned to form after an encouraging 30 minutes against Sunderland last weekend. "I don't think it would be a sensation if we beat Chelsea," he said. "We have had our difficulties in the last couple of our weeks but we are back to our best. Winning at Chelsea would not be a big surprise."

Riise blames a lack of ruthlessness for Liverpool's failure to keep pace with the leading pack this season.

"I think we are closer than we have been before," he said, "But when Man United and Arsenal have a chance, they score. We have a lot of chances, fail to score and then are beaten by a penalty in the last minute. We should be doing the same as them."

Chelsea, six points behind the leaders, Arsenal, have sustained their title challenge despite the recent loss of four players to the African Cup of Nations and several more to injury. Gradually, those players are returning. Mikel John Obi is back from Africa following Nigeria's elimination, while Grant hopes to have Frank Lampard available tomorrow.

Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Michael Essien are due back from Africa next week, while John Terry needs "three weeks, more or less" to recover fully from the bones he broke in his foot at Arsenal on December 16th. That would seem to rule the captain out of the League Cup final against Tottenham on February 24th. Andriy Shevchenko, meanwhile, continues to struggle with his back injury.

"When we began this spell with all the injuries and players going to Africa, our target was to be in the same position [ at the end of it]," said Grant, who noted Arsenal and Manchester United had still to come to Stamford Bridge. "But we are a bit better off than we were."

If Chelsea avoid defeat against Liverpool they will extend their unbeaten home record in the league beyond four years. They last lost at Stamford Bridge to Arsenal on February 21st 2004.

• Guardian Service