We cannot catch Chelsea - Benitez

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez says the European champions cannot catch Chelsea in the Premier League this season and is not sure if they ever will.

Liverpool travel to Stamford Bridge today 18 points behind the title holders with two games in hand.

The last of Liverpool's record 18 league titles came in 1990 and Benitez accepts that the next might be some time in coming.

Asked if his side could catch Chelsea this season, he said: "No, we will just have three more points.

"At this moment we can beat anyone but in nine months different clubs have different players, so it's hard to know."

Benitez should not need to spend too long analysing Chelsea as he has faced them eight times in the past two seasons.

However, despite knocking them out of the Champions League last season and finishing above the Londoners in the group stages of the same competition this season, the 1-0 Champions League win at Anfield last May is Liverpool's solitary victory.

This season's league game at Anfield in October was a 4-1 win for the visitors.

"We have had a lot of games against them.

"We know them and they know us and there will be no surprises," he said.