Liverpool v Everton:RAFAEL BENITEZ has claimed his public rejection of Liverpool's contract offer will benefit the club's pursuit of their first league title for 19 years. Liverpool enter tonight's Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield with Benitez refusing to commit his future to the club yet denying the uncertainty will distract from the objective of winning a 19th league title this season.
The Liverpool manager has rejected a new, four-and-a-half-year deal offered by the co-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, and is prepared to leave when his existing deal expires in 18 months unless the Americans grant him complete control over transfer operations.
Benitez has now reiterated his frustrations with Liverpool’s transfer policy, currently controlled by chief executive Rick Parry, and blamed the club by citing delays at Anfield for Daniel Agger entering the final 18 months of his contract and into a possible move to Milan. But the Liverpool manager denied his contract dispute could harm performances on the field.
“I decided to say something because we will play games until May and if we have to wait on the contract then every week we would be just talking about that and not concentrating on football,” Benitez explained. “The players are concentrating on their training sessions, nothing else, and that is how it should be. I wanted to finish the speculation. Now I have answered and the matter is closed. It is better to concentrate on football and I think the answer I have given will help our title challenge.
“I am 100 per cent sure that the players are focused on games and on football. When I talk to them they understand the position clearly and they understand what it will take to stay at the top of the table. What I have said and how we play are two different things, but I think what I have said will help us for the rest of the season for different reasons.”
Benitez has not, however, placed contract talks on hold for the remainder of this season and is willing to meet the Americans’ lawyers as scheduled next month.
The Liverpool manager is refusing to compromise on the issue of who controls the club’s transfer activities and has accused Parry, Hicks and Gillett of prevaricating over a contract offer to Agger. The Denmark international defender is entitled to buy out the final year of his current deal this summer and last week his agent, Per Steffensen, was spotted holding talks with Milan’s general sporting director, Ariedo Braida. “The club has been too slow on Agger’s contract,” insisted Benitez.
As for the derby, Benitez is considering handing Fernando Torres his first start since November and denied there is any added pressure on Liverpool having been replaced by Manchester United at the Premier League summit.
“No one was expecting us to be in this position in January so if we can stay close to the top it means that in May we will have options to win the title,” he said.
Everton have not won at Anfield since 1999 and will be without their record signing, Marouane Fellaini, who is suspended for tonight’s game and Sunday’s FA Cup fourth round tie between the Merseyside rivals.
David Moyes, the Everton manager, claimed his side will gain nothing from Benitez’s problems across Stanley Park.
“I didn’t think that me not signing a contract was going to help other managers get results against Everton,” said Moyes. “So I don’t think Rafa or Liverpool will look at it like that.
“I’m sure they will get their business sorted out in their own time, like we did here.”
GuardianService
