Benitez ‘100 per cent’ sure his team will climb the table

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez insists his team will put an end to their poor run of form to revive their title chances. Ahead of tonight’s Premier League match against Birmingham City the Spaniard remains confident that his side will start to climb back up the table.

Liverpool only won one of their last four league games and slipped to the seventh place in the Premier League table, twelve points behind leaders Chelsea ahead of tonight’s fixture with improving Birmingham City. Benitez believes that his side have been victims of bad luck this season and has spoken of his conviction that the club will have significantly improved their league position within “one or two months”.

“You can see the table and it is not a big, big difference,” said Benítez, whose side are four points adrift of a place in the top four.

“The main thing for me is we need to analyse our position and ask ourselves: How can we improve? We have to keep working and in one month or two months’ time I am 100% sure that we will be higher in the table and it will be totally different.”

The Liverpool coach hopes to start with Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, who have been struggling with a hernia and groin problem respectively, against Birmingham while Alberto Aquilani is expected to make his Anfield debut from the bench. The Italy international, who was bought as a replacement for Xabi Alonso, has overcome a virus after initially being sidelined with a knee injury.

“It could be the time to let the Anfield fans see Aquilani at last,” said Benitez.

Liverpool really need the points to give them some breathing room, although Benitez feels that some good fortune is also long overdue.

“In some games we have been unlucky. It’s very clear. The timing, too, (has been unlucky) because against Tottenham and Aston Villa we scored and then conceded one minute later. Too many things have happened, like the beach ball, or the late goals we have conceded against Lyon. They make a big difference. But hopefully that will change for the rest of the season and it will be more positive for us.”

Besides Aquilani’s return to the squad, Fabio Aurelio, Martin Skrtel and Albert Riera are also expected to return from their injuries for tonight’s important match against Birmingham City.