Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez: Fourth place may be beyond us

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"We don't know yet. It depends on what the specialist says tomorrow. He had a problem before and we were trying to protect him."

"It will be very difficult.  It's not in our hands. Maybe the difference is too much now. You have to be realistic," he explained.

"City have a game in hand and even if they don't win then there's Tottenham.

"But we have to keep going because it's always important to do your best and finish as high as possible. We'll try to win the rest of our games and also try to be ready for the Europa League."

Benitez did feel that his side had done enough to secure a win and still found positives in the appearances of Alberto Aquilani and Daniel Pacheco.

"I'm disappointed because we had plenty of possession and some good chances. It's a game that'd normally finish 1-0 or 2-0. But we couldn't score," he added.

"Two or three players played and those are the positives - Dani Pacheco came on and Alberto Aquilani started. These things can help for the rest of the games and the Europa League."

The Liverpool boss was also left furious when Jonathan Greening was not dismissed for his cynical body check on Glen Johnson in the first half when he had already been booked.

He said: "I will not say too much because even after that with 11 players we deserved to win - but it was very clear."

Benitez could not, however reveal anything of note on the speculation surrounding new investment in the Merseyside club, saying only: "I don't have too much information because I was concentrating on the game."