Rafa Benitez is keen for Liverpool to reclaim fourth place before they travel to Inter Milan for the second leg of the Champions League clash.

At the end of a week of turmoil and ecstasy, Liverpool face Middlesbrough at Anfield in the first of four crucial Premier League matches before the second instalment of a their last-16 clash with Inter on March 11.

He said: "We have clear targets. We must progress in the Champions League and we must finish in the top four, now we have as our priority the four league games we play before we go to the San Siro.

"We must be in the top four before we face Inter Milan. That will be a tough game but we will go there with more confidence if we are in the top four.

"The players know that we must take care of the Premier League now. Four games, all very important, are next. If we can go to Milan with four league wins under our belts, things will be much, much better.

"After this next four games I will be able to say whether we are favourites for fourth place. Clearly we have enough quality and confidence, but we know we must do the job properly with so many clubs chasing the same thing.

"We could have made it easier for ourselves, so we have to start winning as soon as possible."