Give Ramos time, Benitez tells Tottenham

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has urged fans of struggling Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur to be patient with fellow Spanish manager Juande Ramos.

Spurs are currently reeling from their worst start to a league season and are four points adrift at the bottom of the table after failing to win any of their opening eight top-flight matches this term.

Ramos replaced sacked Dutch boss Martin Jol at White Hart Lane nearly a year ago and Benitez, whose team travel to north London for a League Cup tie on November 12, said: “I remember that when Martin Jol was fired I was surprised, because Spurs had twice finished fifth.

“That was a very good achievement. But they decided to change and they won the Carling (League) Cup, the team was good and the team is good now.

“But I am sure Spurs will be higher soon. People talk about relegation, but I do not think so, they have enough quality to be much higher.

“They have good players. To finish fifth twice, and to progress last season, I feel they will be okay.”

And Benitez insisted they could recover under former Sevilla boss Ramos. “Spurs have enough quality to be much higher. I do not see them fighting against relegation right to the end.

“They have enough experience and I am sure they will finish in the middle (of the) table. And I believe and expect Ramos to survive there as manager.”

But Tottenham defender Jonathan Woodgate fears Tottenham are showing all the worrying signs associated with the Leeds side he left in 2003 before the Yorkshire club were relegated from the Premier League.

“You aren't too good to go down – believe me,” said Woodgate. “I have seen it before at Leeds, and Leeds had a better team than we have got right now.

“They went down eventually and we really have got to roll up our sleeves without question, because I am telling you now it is going to be hard.

“Two points out of eight (Premier League) games – 100 percent, we're in a battle. We are good enough to get out of it if the players start concentrating, without a shadow of a doubt. If we don't then we will go down.”