Now for Chelsea: Benitez turns his attention to Europe after Liverpool sink Fulham

Benitez sat menacingly at the pleasure-pain controls of those who watch their football in SW6 as Liverpool's team bus untangled itself from the tight residential streets around Craven Cottage.

Fulham had been cheered fleetingly by the absence of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, only to be plunged deep into gloom by the realisation that Liverpool stand-ins are better and their own team worse than at this time last year.

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Chelsea are next on the agenda for Benitez and he is seeking to pour semi-final misery on the Blues for a fourth time.

Since arriving at Anfield in 2004, the Spaniard has won only five of 18 games against Chelsea. He has lost eight, but has emerged victorious from two Champions League semifinals and an FA Cup semi against them. Jose Mourinho was the manager to suffer in those three.

Tuesday is Avram Grant's chance to succeed where his predecessor failed.

But Benitez believes managerial changes at Stamford Bridge are irrelevant.

He said: "The key to them is Roman Abramovich. In the past they have built a fantastic team. 'They play more or less the same. They've played well this season, like they did last season. The have been in the Carling Cup Final, they are going for the title and they are in the Champions League semi-final.

"The only difference is in the press conferences," he added with a grin — an impish reference to Mourinho's fondness for stirring rivalries through the media.

"In some games the managers are important," said Benitez. "But the best thing for a manager to do is not create any mess, so the players can just play."

Asked whether he missed the verbal jousting with Mourinho, he shook his head and said: "Maybe you do, but not me. I have enough things to do in Liverpool now."

Benitez gave up on the title long ago, was humbled in the FA Cup by Barnsley and almost failed to qualify from the group stage of the Champions League. But his season has blossomed late.

A top-four finish is virtually safe after the win at Craven Cottage, the prospect of another European final looms and his smart tactics of detached dignity throughout the boardroom squabbles appear to have boosted his popularity.

Everyone at Liverpool may have started the season claiming the only thing that mattered was the Barclays Premier League, but the European Cup is a seductive trophy.

"When you talk about the Champions League it comes down to one game," said Benitez. "Sometimes the manager can do something with tactics or the style of football and that can be the difference.

"In the League, you're talking about nine months. Mentally it's not easy. In the cup it is very different. We want this game against Chelsea to be a Champions League game. In our minds we want to be playing in a Champions League style."

Liverpool trail Chelsea by nine points in the Premier League but Benitez will also use this as a sign of progress. Last season, Chelsea ended the campaign 15 ahead of his side. Benitez claims this is his strongest squad and decent displays from the likes of Peter Crouch, Jermaine Pennant and Lucas Leiva supported that at Fulham.

Pennant and Crouch scored the goals but Javier Mascherano controlled the game from midfield before leaving early to ice a couple of kicks.

After victory at Reading, Fulham manager Roy Hodgson had hoped to see his team beat a weakened Liverpool, as they did last May to avoid the drop. But on this occasion Fulham gave the visitors time, leaked soft goals and fluffed their chances.

"I won't have any regrets about coming here whatever happens," said Hodgson. "I knew I was taking on a difficult job and that it would be difficult to turn things round.

"I've enjoyed the Premier League matches and I shall be very, very sad if it's not to be Premier League next year, but I'm not prepared to concede that it won't be."