PA
Rafael Benitez will demand more goals to add to a free-scoring summer as Liverpool head for the final qualifying round of the Champions League tonight.
The Liverpool chief is in buoyant mood as he prepares his side for the second qualifying round second leg at Anfield against Kaunas.
The Reds are already 3-1 ahead and, knowing only a miracle now will stop the holders moving onto a tie likely to be against Bulgarian champions CSKA Sofia, Benitez is full of confidence after 20 goals from his side in six pre-season matches.
There could be more against the Lithuania champions, and Benitez said: 'We are scoring goals in each game, three or four, and that means we are more consistent.
'Some of them have been friendlies and also we have played against some teams who are not the strongest, but we are still scoring in every game and not just one or two.
'That is good for us. I am confident and I think the team is better than last season.'
Benitez dismissed speculation linking the club with Michael Owen in the pre-match press conference, while also taking a swipe at Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho for his attack on the ambition of Anfield skipper Steven Gerrard.
But all this is a sideshow for the Spaniard, who wants his side to continue to evolve as they head towards the Premiership opener away to Middlesbrough on August 13.
Benitez still aims to sign a centre-back and a right-winger, but has all but ruled out a return to Anfield for Owen.
And with Schalke pulling out of the hunt for Milan Baros because Liverpool will not even consider a loan move - particularly to a side they could face in the Champions League this season - Benitez continues to build for the future.
He said: 'My idea is to have a good squad, so we have two good players for each position. It means we will be able to field a changed team, but still a strong team for this game against Kaunas and in the future.
'I like to use my squad, but you cannot use the same players all season. It does not work that way. We will approach the game with the same mentality as we did against TNS, we want to score early and you know it will then be a lot more difficult for your opponents.
'We want to score as soon as possible and then try to play well and entertain our fans, because at Anfield we are not scared of anyone.'
UEFA have confirmed that Liverpool will be away first in the third qualifying round, which means the second leg will be at Anfield on Tuesday, August 23, three days before the Reds face CSKA Moscow in the European Super Cup in Monaco.
Benitez will still not risk Baros in a European tie, to protect the Czech's valuation and avoid leaving him cup-tied, although he insists he is not trying to sell him.
The former Valencia boss will also be without the injured Djimi Traore and Harry Kewell, while Neil Mellor is still recovering from an operation. Florent Sinama-Pongolle is back in full training after his knee injury and could be ready for action in three weeks.
Benitez says of his army of front players fighting for a chance to shine: 'I will try to give all of them opportunities and I hope they can all score a lot of goals. Then I will have a big problem but a good problem.
'As for Kaunas, we were surprised by their high tempo in the first leg, and we expect them to approach the second game in the same way.
'They must score early to make it a game. If we score first then it is virtually over but if they score then we will have to be careful and make sure we control the match.
'We are already more consistent than last season, we are scoring three or four in every game and I want that to continue.'
PA
