"Clearly, just one team can win the league, so it doesn't really matter if you are three, six, nine or 11 points behind as we are this season," said Benitez.
"It is not a massive difference. It may just come down to one game over the course of a season.
"The key for me is knowing there is a difference between us and the three teams above us and that we must now reduce this gap.
"It was not massive this season. We came closer than last season. Hopefully next season we will be closer again, maybe even on top of them.
"If you beat Manchester United once it results in a six-point swing either way and that can be the difference."