Rafael BenÍtez, having put his future as Liverpool manager at the centre of the agenda by revealing a breakdown in talks over his contract extension, has rejected any suggestion that the continued off-field strife at Anfield will affect his players in this evening’s derby game with Everton.

A week after BenÍtez launched a scathing attack on Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, he publicised his decision to reject the offer of a new deal because he has not been given total control of the club’s transfer dealings.

“I am only talking about working within a budget, not controlling everything,” he said. “I wanted to finish with the speculation because there is no sense in talking about the contract from now until the end of the season.”

Liverpool have let slip a seven-point lead over United and trail the Barclays Premier League champions by a point. But BenÍtez has defended his behaviour and is adamant that it will not disrupt his team’s push for a first title since 1990. He has even suggested that by bringing his concerns about Ferguson and his own future into the open, he has diverted pressure from his players ahead of the 209th Merseyside derby.

“I am 100 per cent sure that the players are focused on games and on football,” he said. “They are concentrating on their training, nothing else, and that is how it should be.

“It will take some of the pressure off players. I am only thinking about the best for my team and especially now, because we are title contenders. I was really pleased to see the TV cameras following Mr Ferguson and referees at Old Trafford last week.” BenÍtez has also taken a swipe at the club’s hierarchy over the delay in an extension to Daniel Agger’s contract, leaving Liverpool open to a bid from AC Milan. “The club has been too slow on Agger’s contract and he is now in the papers because we were not quick enough,” BenÍtez said.

Everton, who have kept six consecutive clean sheets, are hoping for a first win at Anfield since 1999 and David Moyes, their manager, believes that the key will be playing with style.

“We have got to have the courage to take the ball and to play under pressure and a lot of that comes from having confidence,” he said. “Hopefully we will be able to show that because I don’t think we have shown it in the last two against Liverpool.

“It always comes back to the quality of opposition you are playing. They can have a big effect on what you do but when we played Chelsea, we played without fear and a bit of freedom and that’s what I’m hoping for.”

Liverpool: (probable; 4-2-3-1): J M Reina – Á Arbeloa, J Carragher, M Skrtel, F Aurélio – J Mascherano, X Alonso – D Kuyt, S Gerrard, A Riera – F Torres.

Everton (probable; 4-5-1): T Howard – T Hibbert, P Jagielka, J Yobo, J Lescott – L Osman, M Arteta, P Neville, T Cahill, S Pienaar – V Anichebe.

Referee: H Webb TV: Live Setanta Sports 1, 8pm