How Rafa Benitez can still deliver on his promise of fourth place for Liverpool

THE bookies have written Liverpool off.They reckon Rafa Benitez's side have slipped up once too often in their desperate bid to bring Champions League football back to Anfield next season.The Reds find themselves cast as distant third favourites in a four-way battle for the Premier League's coveted fourth place.With just seven games to play their fate is no longer in their own hands.A resurgent Tottenham side are in the box seat with Spurs four points clear of the Reds with a game in hand.For Liverpool there is no margin for error. All they can do over the coming weeks is focus on securing maximum points and hope their rivals for a place at Europe's top table flounder.The stakes are high. Failure to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since the 2002/03 season could cost the club upwards of £25million.However, falling short is something Benitez is refusing to contemplate ahead of Sunday's clash with Sunderland at Anfield.The Spaniard remains bullish that he will still deliver on his well documented promise of a top-four finish.'We cannot change anything so we have to move forward,' he said.'We have to keep pushing and as a manager you have to believe. I think if we can win all our games we will be there until the end.'A glance at the history books and the upcoming fixtures suggests Benitez's faith may not be misplaced.During his reign Liverpool have made a habit of finishing campaigns with a flourish.Last season the Reds won six and drew one of their last seven games. In 2007/08 they took 17 out of the last 21 points up for grabs and in 2005/06 they signed off by winning seven league games on the bounce.

Source: Liverpool_Echo