Defining games and critical meetings loom for Rafael Benitez but it demonstrates the relaxed air of the Liverpool manager that preparations have this week involved laughing at himself on the internet.

"I was watching a video on YouTube the other day of a person imitating me," said Benitez. "It is a comedian imitating (Jose) Mourinho and Benitez. They are asked about a recipe and a result and I say, 'We scored two goals, they scored one, so we won. They scored two goals, we scored one, so we lost. We both scored three goals, so it is a draw'. I could recognise Mourinho but I couldn't recognise myself, maybe Mourinho recognises me but not himself! But it was funny."

It is about time Benitez was able to smile again. Marseille away in the Champions League on Tuesday and Manchester United next Sunday are big tasks with potentially huge influence over the team's season and the manager's future. But they can be approached with a swagger and not the grimace that has accompanied Benitez since his fallout with the club's US owners.

Five successive wins yielding 21 goals for, one against, is an emphatic response from Benitez' team to the doubts of Tom Hicks and George Gillett, who meet the manager for the first time since their transfer row next Sunday. Reading are targeted for win number six this evening. Yet Benitez is adamant he will not stand or fall by what unfolds over the next week.

"We haven't changed anything this season but we are scoring more goals now because we have better players," said Benitez, whose side have collected 17 points from a possible 21 away from home this season compared to just two from the first seven games on the road last year.

"For example, I expect Reading to be physical with (Fernando) Torres like they were in the Carling Cup, but Torres has no problems with the physical side of the game and our opponents cannot just concentrate on Torres now because we have a lot of other players who are scoring goals."

The Liverpool manager is equally keen to keep title predictions in check now that his side are just seven points behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand. He added: "Having had this experience in Valencia, the only thing we can do is to try to keep calm and send the same messages . . . For me, it is too soon to talk about whether we are in a fantastic position or not. I want to talk about that maybe at the end of February. It is too early now."

Jamie Carragher is available to face Reading despite damaging a rib against Bolton, although Benitez may not risk a defender who will miss the United game if booked tonight. On his own future, however, the Liverpool manager has spoken with the director Foster Gillett about his problems with the club's owners.

"We know there was a misunderstanding but now we need to wait until December 16th and talk with Tom Hicks and George Gillett," added Benitez.