Liverpool v Wigan Athletic:Rafael Benitez enters the new year knowing Liverpool's destiny, and his own, rests on the next few months.

The Liverpool manager sends his team out to face relegation-haunted Wigan at Anfield tonight knowing only victory will keep his side in touch with the Premier League leaders.

Whatever is being said publicly about Benitez by the club's American owners or chief executive Rick Parry, the Spaniard's future is still uncertain.

If Liverpool fail to stay in the top four, Tom Hicks and George Gillett will see their already-strained financial plans seriously damaged.

And that would see Benitez under even more pressure. He is not going to be allowed to spend big this month, with the future of Javier Mascherano no nearer a conclusion, with his loan ending in the summer.

The Americans will not spend €23 million now, and that could see Mascherano's agents touting the Argentinian around Europe.

Mascherano said: "With the time that has passed, it will now be more difficult for me to stay here because I need to do something about my future. I have done everything to stay but now the owners have to decide if they want to buy me or not."

The level of uncertainty on several fronts at Anfield - ownership, the new ground, finances and transfer budgets - will only heighten as the season unfolds. Benitez made it clear results must be maintained and improved.

"We must beat Wigan and then keep on winning," he said.

Benitez will also have to improve Liverpool's overall record to continue to impress the Americans. At the beginning of 2007, his side were third in the Premier League. They moved into 2008 in fourth spot, with a 12-month record that sees them having won 19 of 36 league games with a points haul of 68.

That is 15 short of Manchester United over the same period and also comfortably adrift of the totals for Arsenal and Chelsea. Neighbours Everton, who are quick to emphasise their lack of financial muscle, have amassed only eight points fewer than Liverpool in 2007. This lack of genuine progress will not impress co-chairman Hicks and Gillett.

Ahead of the 0-0 draw at Manchester City, Benitez said Liverpool needed "to do everything perfectly from now on to win the title". And they did not get off to the perfect start to the second half of the season with a dominant, but goal-shy, display at Eastlands.

After the game Benitez said: "We cannot think negatively but we cannot change the situation. Now we must think solely about beating Wigan. We need to win that game and keep on winning, and we can do that because the team is playing well."

Benitez expects to sign defensive cover in the January transfer window. But he is focusing on the cheaper, younger options, and expects to again be without Sami Hyypia (ankle) and Daniel Agger (broken metatarsal) against Steve Bruce's side.

It means full back Alvaro Arbeloa, a stop-gap centre half against City, is likely to partner Jamie Carragher again. It is unlikely Benitez will risk rookie centre back Jack Hobbs.

Hobbs was not even on the bench at Eastlands, which underlines the concerns about his lack of experience.