Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has admitted that his team’s fourth spot depends on the slip-ups of their rivals.

Liverpool were beaten 2-1 by their bitter rivals, Manchester United on Sunday to go on sixth spot in the Premier League table .

"We knew the game against United would be very tough. The question is now about the other teams,"  Football World quoted Benitez as saying.

"Tottenham won at the weekend but we have to keep going. We know they have to make mistakes and we have to keep winning games to reduce the gap and be there," the Spaniard added.

"There are still a lot of points to be played for so we have to keep going. If we can win our games we will be there at the end.

"As a manager you have to believe. It will be more difficult but we have to keep pushing and I think we can do it.

"This year is a difficult year with too many things against us but still we have to keep fighting and I am confident the team will be ready for the next game against Sunderland (on Sunday)."

The manager further said that his team can beat anyone if they play well and utilize their chances and he don't think that Sunday's loss is a setback.

"The team was doing well last week, playing well and scoring a lot of goals," he said.

"You could see they started well against United. If you go there and don't perform or don't show character or are not strong enough that is not good.

"But we showed we can beat anyone if we play well and if we have some chances we have to take them and it could have been totally different.

"The team was not fantastic but it was not worse than United. You couldn't see the difference in the table out on the pitch.

"I don't think it is a setback."

Liverpool are struggling to finish top four this season with  Tottenham occupying fourth spot and Manchester City are on  fifth place but have two games in hand as Aston Villa who  currently occupy the seventh place.

Photo courtesy: Liverpool FC