Former Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez is confident Liverpool will recover from their poor start to the season to finish in the top four. The Champions League winner with the Reds insists Jurgen Klopp's side remain a 'very strong team' despite inconsistent form which has seen them lose successive matches to Nottingham Forest and Leeds United.
Liverpool are currently eight points adrift of Newcastle United in fourth position, although the Reds do hold a game in hand. The FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders have already beaten champions Manchester City twice this season, but have failed to replicate the performances which saw them go close to an unprecedented quadruple last term.
Eddie Howe's side are now being talked about as unlikely contenders in the top-four race on the back of a sensational run of form. The Magpies picked up 16 points from a possible 18 in October, and a controversial defeat at Anfield in August remains the club's only defeat in the current campaign.
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Klopp recently admitted Liverpool's current form could jeopardise their chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season. However, Benitez is adamant that the Reds still have the quality required to get their season back on track.
He wrote in The Times : "I am not as pessimistic about their prospects as everyone else. This is not a normal season. They have had injuries, the World Cup is a distraction, but they remain a very strong team.
"I am sure they will recover and get in to the top four in the Premier League, and we know from their performances in recent seasons how they can go far in European competitions."
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