Benitez insists: "This is not a time for being negative, it is a time for being positive."

But he admits that confidence is low among his squad following the 2-2 home draw with Tottenham at the weekend, coming straight after a home European defeat by Marseille.

But Benitez maintains: "We are still unbeaten in the league, qualification for the Champions League depends on that and we are still also in the Carling Cup.

"We are in a better position than last year. In the Premier League we have five more points than at this stage last season, we are closer to the top of the table and with one game in hand.

"We just have to get our confidence back because we have lost it at the moment."

He added: "At the start of the season we were playing well, with confidence and scoring goals. Now we just need to keep working hard.

"It is difficult with so many players away on international duty but we have spoken to the ones who are here and tried to analyse what has been going wrong.

"The Tottenham game was a couple of days ago now so I am still extremely disappointed with the result. We know why we did not win and that is because we didn't take our chances and then conceded two goals.

"It is difficult with the players being away but we just have to manage. We have no control over what they do for the next couple of weeks. I just hope they don't come back with any injury problems."