Benitez banking on experience

Rafael Benitez believes his Liverpool side's experience of playing in big matches will stand them in good stead going into tonight's crunch Champions League showdown with Marseille.

Only a win at the Stade Velodrome will guarantee the Reds a spot in the knockout stages of a tournament they won in 2005 and were losing finalists in last season.

"We know how to play under pressure," said Benitez. "If you want to win trophies, you must play in finals. And for us, this is like a final. We have experience of these situations."

The other three English teams in this season's Champions League - Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United - have already qualified, leaving Liverpool to battle it out on the final round of group matches to join them in the knockout phase.

It was always going to be a mountain to climb for the Reds from the moment they were defeated 1-0 at home by Marseille in October, but big victories since over Besiktas (8-0) and Porto (4-1) mean they are still in with a shout of a top-two finish in Group A.

"It's clear we made a big mistake losing (to Marseille) at home," Benitez said.

"We have seen a lot of their games in a row, 10 games from when we played them until now, and we know a lot about their team."

Striker Fernando Torres has reiterated his support for the manager, claiming it would be a "mistake" for the club to replace him.

Benitez's future remains uncertain despite an apparent thaw in his relationship with owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks following a disagreement over transfer policy.

Torres said: "It would be a huge mistake to think about changing the manager if we don't get the win we need. Rafa Benitez has done so much for this club and the staff, players and fans are behind him. It is the most important match since I joined."