Liverpool, who completed their Champions League quarter-final victory over PSV Eindhoven with a 1-0 win on Wednesday, must switch their attention from thoughts of a European final in Athens and concentrate first on Saturday's trip to Manchester City before back-to-back home games with Middlesbrough next Wednesday and troubled Wigan three days later.

Those games will help define their Barclays Premiership campaign ahead of the Champions League showdown with Chelsea and the England striker is sure to feature heavily.

Benitez wants those three games won to virtually tie-up third place in the Premiership before turning all his attention to Jose Mourinho and Chelsea.

After Crouch's winner on Wednesday against Eindhoven, which maintained his rich vein of form, Benitez said: "I am pleased with Peter Crouch, scoring goals gives you confidence and that is what he is doing.

"Sometimes it takes time for things to drop into place, but it has happened recently with Peter, he understand so much more now what is wanted from him.

"Now I want to see him scoring goals right up to, and including, the Champions League final."

But Benitez does not want a repeat of his first ever trip to City's Eastlands stadium back in 2005 even though there are obvious comparisons.

Liverpool had just beaten Juventus 2-1 in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at Anfield, but four days later produced a dreadful display against City before losing 1-0.

Now, after the success over Eindhoven, Benitez will want to see greater focus from his side when they travel up the M62 this time.

And Crouch aims to continue his scoring run, which has now seen him hit 18 for Liverpool this season, plus five in five for England - at a rate of around one for every 89 minutes on the pitch.

He says: "I have not set any personal target this season. But I once scored 21 for Portsmouth in one campaign, but that was not in the Premiership.

"Then I managed 16 in the season Southampton got relegated. So I would like to keep my current run going and see how many I can get.

"It is fantastic to be top scorer at Liverpool, it is such a massive club. I just want to keep it going.

"I only have to impress the manager and the fans here. I know the manager will have funds in the summer and everyone will have to prove themselves again. But take it from me, I want to be part of Liverpool's new era."