Benitez has been under constant pressure this season

Liverpool, without a league win since Boxing Day, were beaten 1-0 at West Ham on Wednesday evening and are now three points behind fourth-placed Everton.

"Yes, Champions League [is still possible]," he said after the game.

"Did we deserve to lose? I think we deserved to win. We must think about how to improve, and how to win games."

Benitez, whose position has come under intense scrutiny during a difficult season, also said that he could cope with the pressure.

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"I am a football manager, so I have experience. We will improve - because we can improve."

The defeat continued a poor run of form for Liverpool, whose season has been blighted by uncertainty over Benitez's future and the club's ownership.

They are now 17 points off the leaders Manchester United, and only four points ahead of 10th-placed West Ham after Mark Noble held his nerve to convert an injury-time penalty for the winner.

Benitez, however, insisted that he is not thinking about where Liverpool stand in the title race.

"I'm thinking just about the next game and I will try to win the next three points against Sunderland," he said.

"Our next game is more realistic to think about."

And when asked if the American owners of Liverpool will be analysing the game, he said: "I don't know if they have a TV.