Uefa Champions League/ Group C Liverpool v PSV Eindhoven: Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez yesterday suggested that his side have not been given due respect for their achievements under his management at Anfield.

When the 2005 European champions last month became the first British club to qualify for the Champions League knock-out phase their achievement passed almost unnoticed.

Instead, their season is perceived as one of failure thanks to a 16-point deficit to English Premiership leaders, Manchester United, and despite the fact that they are only five points off third place, are in the English League Cup quarter-finals and will finish top of Group C if they beat PSV Eindhoven at Anfield tonight.

"People are saying we had a terrible start to the season, but we're only a third of the way through and you have to look at other things," said Benitez.

"The most important trophy in the world is the Champions League and we've won that. I know a lot of managers who don't have the European Cup in their cabinet, and they're managing very, very good teams. It's not easy.

"But if you've won the trophies we have, you want to win the Premier League. If you appoint a new manager and in the first season you finish fourth, people would be really happy.

"If then you finish third in your second year, it's usually great. But we started by winning the Champions League. That can create a big problem."

PSV have not won in England for seven years, but their coach Ronald Koeman was successful at Anfield with Benfica last season, and Liverpool, for whom Luis Garcia may play after a hamstring injury, will be wary of an under-rated side.