Champion display is needed in Carling Cup

Oct 25 2005

By David Prior Daily Post Staff

RAFAEL BENITEZ has called for a Champions League attitude in tonight's Carling Cup clash at Crystal Palace after revealing his dismay at Liverpool's latest league setback. The Spaniard, who subjected his players to a video repeat of their Fulham defeat on Sunday, believes a lessening of the intensity and tempo Liverpool regularly produce on the Continent is the main reason behind their domestic failings. And Benitez wants his men to use tonight's third-round clash at Selhurst Park - the site of one of the Anfield men's most ignominious Premiership defeats last term - to show they have the mentality to sustain a challenge at home and abroad. He said: "If you want to be consistent you must have the same attitude in all the games - the Premiership, the Carling Cup or the Champions League. Story continues ADVERTISEMENT "At Fulham, the first half was a problem of attitude for sure, we didn't approach the game with the right attitude. In the second half we changed and it was another game. "I don't know what the problem is, but next time we must start the game with another attitude and more intensity. I am disappointed with the team, and when I say that I mean the staff, not just the players. "We have been talking about last season, when we played bad away. We need to realise that if you win against these teams, then you will be in the top of the table, and you will have confidence." Last season Benitez fielded reserves and youth players in this competition's earlier rounds but insists he will field a strong side at Palace, where he will be "looking for solutions" to problems.. Reserve captain David Raven, 20, will play - probably in place of Josemi at right-back after the Spaniard's poor display at Fulham - and reserves Zak Whitbread and Darren Potter will also be involved. But the fact he is even considering playing Steven Gerrard - now recovered from a shin injury - in the fixture suggests Benitez wants answers to Liverpool's travel sickness. He added: "Palace is a similar place to Fulham, it's a difficult stadium and we expect a physical game."

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