• Liverpool’s manager emphasises the priority of the team
• Italian midfielder on substitutes’ bench for Wigan match
Rafael Benítez has assured Alberto Aquilani that he is not the forgotten man of Liverpool despite having to sacrifice the Italian’s adjustment to English football in the race for a critical place in next season’s Champions League.
Liverpool will go fourth in the Premier League with a win at Wigan Athletic tonight when Aquilani, the club’s £18m signing last summer, may again find himself on the substitutes’ bench with Lucas and Javier Mascherano preferred in central midfield. The Italy international has endured a frustrating first season at Anfield with his debut delayed by an ankle injury and then Liverpool’s poor form affording Benítez little leeway in his efforts to blood Aquilani.
The Liverpool manager has explained his predicament to the 25-year-old, who has started only seven games since his arrival from Roma and completed 90 minutes only once, and says the midfielder accepts that a top-four finish takes precedence over personal trials.
Benítez said: “When you have been injured for a while it’s not easy for a player. Then, when you are available and the team isn’t doing well, it makes it even more difficult. You have to decide if you can afford to give him two or three games when you know he’s maybe not at the level he could be, so you could end up losing some of them.
“Alberto isn’t stupid. He knows the priority now has to be the team and what’s best for that. All he can do is keep training and make sure he is ready when we need him. But as I said, the most important thing we have to think of is the team, not one player.”
The England right-back Glen Johnson is in contention for his first appearance of the year tomorrow night. He has not played since the 1-0 away win over Aston Villa in the Premier League on 29 December, where he was substituted after 89 minutes just before Fernando Torres scored. Benítez, though, admitted the relaid pitch at the DW Stadium will not influence his thinking of starting Torres or, by contrast, omitting Aquilani.
He added: “When I didn’t play Alberto at Wolves it wasn’t to do with the state of their pitch, it was because of the kind of game and because others were available, which meant we could manage in a different way. So whether I play him at Wigan or not isn’t a decision that will be determined by the pitch.
“But we have had a conversation about things and he knows the situation. Alberto is a very good professional, who was a big name in Italy and wants to show his quality here. When you’re like that but cannot play for three or four months and then you’re available but can’t play because the team is maybe doing really well or has problems, it’s a difficult situation for any professional.”
The Liverpool manager, meanwhile, has said that Mascherano is now focused on his Anfield career after having his head turned by interest from Barcelona last summer, and expects the Argentina captain and the Spanish goalkeeper Jose Reina to commit to long-term contracts before the end of this season.
“I am 100% certain that Pepe will stay with us and I’m really confident Javier will too – both for a long time,” said Benítez.
“I’ve spoken to Javier about what’s going on and, while it wasn’t easy when you have a top side like Barcelona asking about you, he’s really focused now. I have confidence both will be sorted out sooner rather than later.”
LiverpoolRafael BenítezFernando TorresPremier LeagueAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk
