The Anfield chief has already admitted he sees the Premier League as his priority for this season, a statement made well ahead of their opening Champions League group A match here in Porto.

In recent seasons, Liverpool have frequently had to rely on last-day heroics - something skipper Steven Gerrard has been forced to specialise in - to make sure that the club reaches the last 16.

That, insists Benitez, has to change if the club are to have any chance of managing their Premier League campaign successfully.

Last season was the first time in the competition's current format that they went into the final group game in Istanbul against Galatasaray with their destiny already assured.

And now Benitez wants that scenario repeated so that when they arrive in Marseille for their last group match in early December, their fate will already be decided.

He said: "It is clear that the perfect situation is to get to the last game and already be qualified for the next stage. Last season we achieved that and by the time we went to Galatasaray for the last group match, we had already qualified.

"This is something we must achieve regularly. The way to do that is to win from the very first match in the group, if you do that it is easier to manage the rest of the Champions League games and to be able to concentrate on the Premier League as well."

With the Premier League title now the prize Benitez covets above all else, he does not need Champions League problems getting in the way of that vision.

Benitez, who will be without full-back John Arne Riise in Portugal because of a groin injury sustained playing for Norway last week, has a very clear objective as the group matches unfold over next three months.

He says: "We are not thinking of drawing this one, like we did with last season's first group game in Eindhoven, we are aiming to win.

"I feel we need 12 points to get through to the next stage. Some people say 10 is enough, but if we win our three home games and then achieve one away win, that should be enough.

"So it is important that we win early in the group, and not have to depend on the last match. It is best to have the points now, that is what you need and that is why we aim to win here in Porto.

"I know the group and the quality of the teams, it will be difficult but we know what we need to do.

"We have confidence and experience in Europe, we should be able to manage the situation."

Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira is expecting a difficult clash against the Premier League outfit but has vowed his team will fight for the victory.

"We'll certainly fight for the victory. FC Porto is able to defeat any team in the world."

Ferreira does not believe it will be a lost cause if his side lose, however.

He added on www.fcporto.pt: "We'll play against Liverpool, who are seen as the strongest team in Group A, but we have other two opponents and five more matches to play, so this isn't a decisive match.

"Although it is important, it isn't decisive for the qualification for the next round.

"In this competition there are no favourites. I should remind you that the last European champions were FC Porto, Liverpool, Barcelona and AC Milan... When the competition begins it's easy to know that some teams are in good condition to achieve the title, but I don't think that we should talk about favourites."

The Porto coach is not planning to make too many significant changes to cope with the Reds' attacking threat.

"FC Porto will play with the same system and tactical structure that we have been using over the past year," he said.

"We don't have many physical limitations and Liverpool doesn't justify a deep change of our football system."