Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is pleased by UEFA's ranking them as Europe's No1 team.

After defeat at Middlesbrough, Liverpool can sense their title hopes slipping away, but Benitez insists: "Still we have to improve. Yes, we have had key players injured and maybe that could have cost us four or five points.

"In this title race that would be a massive difference. We are in a good position but we could be in a much better position.

"We are now rated in the UEFA rankings as the best team in Europe over the last five years, that underlines how we have done in those seasons.

"But we must go forward for the rest of the season, and in the future.

"The squad is good, but there are too many games when things go wrong and that makes a massive difference."