Benitez hopes Liverpool will finish among top four

London: Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has pledged to supporters that his team will finish in the top four of the Premier League this season.

A weekend defeat to Arsenal has deepened the gloom at Anfield, and questions are increasingly being asked as to Benitez's ability to manage the club.

But the Spaniard was in bullish mood at his press conference today and felt that hard work from him and his players was the only way of battling through the current problems.

"Every game for us is one we have to win. Our mentality, our idea, is to try and win every game," he affirmed.

"Sometimes you can, sometimes you cannot, but you can't be negative - you have to think about the positives.

"The manager has to be positive and I am. But how can I change things? By working harder and doing my best every single day. The players they know this, and they are doing the same. We are working together.

"I can guarantee we will finish in the top four.

"I am 100 per sure our fans are very clever and they know the way to improve and change things is to support and stay behind the team," he said.

"The fans will always be with the club because it is a massive club and we have the best fans in the world.

"We have to perform on the pitch and it will be easier for them to support the team.

"Ever since I arrived here, I have been really proud. Every time we go to another country, you can see what Liverpool means to everyone - like in Asia for example.

"The fans will be disappointed (with current form), and we are disappointed too because we want to improve and win games. The only way to change things is to keep working together."

Liverpool welcome Wigan Athletic to Anfield on Wednesday evening. Benitez maintains that his team have targeted victory and believes that the Latics' inconsistency could prove their downfall.

"We will play at Anfield, we are a top side and we know we have to perform," he added.

"If Wigan come here, play well and get a point maybe they will be happy, but for us we will try to do our best and try to win.

"Wigan are a team who are doing well in attack, but they are also conceding goals. Consistency is the key if you want to stay in the Premier League."

And the spirit in the Reds camp apparently remains high, with Benitez taking the positives from the defeat to Arsenal.

"The mood is very good. I think the first-half [against Arsenal] was so good that you have to take the positives from this game and try to play at the same level.

"I am sure we will win games if we can play at the same level as in the first-half.

"We have to improve if we can, and if we make mistakes, we have to keep going.

"There are still 22 games to play, and we know we have to change our target. Now it is to try and get three points against Wigan and then start thinking about Portsmouth."