Liverpool v Manchester Utd:ALEX FERGUSON takes his Manchester United side to Anfield tomorrow insisting his motivation is not the thought of overtaking Liverpool's record of 18 league titles. United drew level with their arch-rivals last season but now, just as then, the man who once said his biggest challenge at Old Trafford was knocking Liverpool "off their perch" (expletive removed) is anxious not to say anything more that could be used to spur on Rafael Benitez's team.
A side with United’s experience of winning championships “don’t think that way”, according to their manager, and nor does he believe this a good time to be facing Liverpool, even though he has Wayne Rooney back from injury and their opponents have lost four games in a row.
“Going to Anfield at any time is a hard game,” said Ferguson. “Manchester United against Liverpool is, without question, a massive game whatever the circumstances. It is the kind of game when I came to the club 23 years ago, I just thought, ‘yeah’.
“In my first derby game I got a complete sense of the history of both teams and it hasn’t changed. It is the game as far as I am concerned, and that won’t change, and it won’t be any different on Sunday.”
Nonetheless, Ferguson is acutely aware Benitez is under an unusually high level of scrutiny.
The relationship between the two men all but disintegrated during last season’s championship race and there were few sympathetic words from Ferguson.
“I’m not going into that at all,” he said, “I’m not going to make you some headlines.” But he did speak of his concern about the pressure managers had to endure.
“In modern-day football the manager is always going to be the scapegoat, no matter what happens. It happens time and time again. You see what has happened to Gareth Southgate [sacked at Middlesbrough this week].
“You scratch your head at that one because he’s a young manager and he’s only had three years in the job after going straight in from being a player, and three years is not an apprenticeship. But that is the climate we are in. Managers are always going to suffer.”
United’s own performances have been questioned at times this season, most recently after an unconvincing 2-2 draw with Sunderland earlier this month.
But Ferguson feels his side are now stronger for the return of the veteran goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.
Meanwhile, Benitez shrugged off the growing pressure on his position at Liverpool. He and his injury-ravaged side know they must produce something to lift the gathering gloom at Anfield.
Benitez will give Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Glen Johnson – all groin injury victims – until the last moment to prove their fitness.
But the match will be overshadowed by fans’ unrest over the continued ownership of Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
A protest march is being planned and Hicks and Gillett will be the subject of increased security. It is not the atmosphere Benitez would want as he tries to end a run of four straight defeats, their worst spell for 22 years.
“I am relaxed in terms of my position,” the Spaniard insisted.
“I know how we are working every day, the players know too. In the past we have been very good and the situation and players has not changed too much.
“It is about confidence and winning that first game. If we want to change things we must focus on football and not what is going on off the pitch here.”
“This game against Manchester United is just the right opportunity. It is a massive game, the fans will be right behind us from the first minute to the last.”
Benitez maintains a change of fortune is only a win away.
“It is only a matter of time. If we win a game everything changes. We have done extra training sessions, the attitude of the players has been good. They know what has to be done.”
GuardianService
