Rafael Benitez believes his Liverpool players can put to the back of their minds the power battle raging at the club as they try to hang onto the coat-tails of the top three in the Barclays Premier League.
By the time Liverpool face Aston Villa on Monday at Anfield, they could be 15 points off top spot with Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea all playing against teams from the bottom half of the table today.
If that is not a big enough problem for Liverpool's stars, the very public disagreements about the future financing and even ownership of the club is also hanging over Anfield.
American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are trying to negotiate a re-financing package with British and American banks, while Dubai International Capital wait in the wings with a potential new offer for the club.
Benitez said: "I am not finding it difficult to prepare for a game, I am trying to prepare for a game properly.
"The players are good professionals, they showed that with their performance against Luton in the FA Cup in midweek, and they also showed that the FA Cup is important for us.
"I do not think they are affected too much by things off the pitch, they are focused and they know we want to be as high as possible in the Premier League. They can continue to give their best."
Liverpool are in a battle with Villa, Everton and Manchester City for fourth spot, and Benitez expects Monday's challenge from the Midlanders to be strong.
He said: "There are four teams all very close, but we do have one game in hand. However, Villa are having a good season and they will have a lot of confidence.
"I have confidence in my team. We will fight for a good position at the top of the table, but I am not just thinking about fourth spot I am thinking much higher than that, as a target that is what we must be looking for.
"I have a responsibility, and especially now. That responsibility is to do the best for my club, to work hard and prepare well for every training session and every game.
"I am doing this and trying to concentrate. I am aiming to give the fans my best all the time and for the team to do the same."
Liverpool will be without Daniel Agger for the Villa game, the Danish defender having suffered a recurrence of his metatarsal injury.
Benitez said:"We are disappointed with what has happened to Daniel Agger. We felt he was ready.
"But when he was training last weekend, he felt something when he was tackling. It was right at the end of the session, it was not serious but enough to cause us concern.
"We have talked to specialists to try to find an answer. But he is now working hard again with the medical staff.
"He had been training well for two weeks, then he just had a little bit of bad luck and he is out again. Maybe it will be two weeks before he is ready again."
Meanwhile, Peter Crouch insists he is happy to stay at Anfield and fight for his place.
The 26-year-old has been the subject of much speculation having fallen down the pecking order after the summer arrival of club-record signing Fernando Torres.
However, he told the Liverpool Echo: "Everyone talks about me talking to clubs. Maybe it's because I'm not playing every game but at a club like Liverpool you're not going to play every game.
"I've come to realise that this is the case at a club like this."
Source : www.sportinglife.com
