It’s always a tough situation when you’re watching a game between two teams you want to see lose. That was the case as Chelsea played Liverpool on Sunday, with there being strong arguments from United fans over which side we really wanted to go without points.
Chelsea pose the biggest threat to our title this season, therefore any opportunity that sees them denied three points is one we should welcome. However, the idea of scousers everywhere claiming this really was their year, as if they hadn’t said the same thing for the past decade or more, after ending Chelsea’s massive home unbeaten run was frustrating. How can you ever want Liverpool to win? It had to be done on Sunday though for the sake of our title, and there’s still the reassurance that without a massive deflection, it would have been the usual bore 0-0 draw.
Sir Alex Ferguson hates Liverpool with the same intensity as the rest of us, but when the question over Sunday was delivered, Fergie was sure in his answer. “That was the result I wanted,” he said. However hard it is to admit, Liverpool getting the win and watching their players celebrate like they’d won the title (bless em, they don’t know how it feels to really win the league) was necessary.
In the next couple of weeks, United will have played all the other top three teams away from home and our points total might look unfairly deceiving at this point. By December, the only team from last year’s top 10 we won’t have played away from home is West Ham. We could be looking a little worse for wear by this point in the season, but it will only be superficial. From January onwards, Chelsea, Everton, Blackburn, Portsmouth, Blackburn, Liverpool, Villa, City and Arsenal all have to come to Old Trafford, a ground where we won 17 out of 19 games last season.
In the grand scheme of things, ridiculously long unbeaten record or not, Chelsea have the strongest side other than ours. Liverpool’s position in the league is thanks to playing against 10 men in 4 of their 9 matches so far this season. Their position is thanks to dodgy deflections or miss-hit shots that find the back of the net. Their position is thanks to playing over half their games so far at home. Their position is thanks to playing opposition that finished in the bottom half of the table last season.
Whatever the score with Chelsea at the moment, in terms of injuries and results, they quite simply are a better team than Liverpool and will finish the season with more points than them. That is why Ferguson is right when he says it was a good result for us at the weekend, although I certainly will not be making a habit out of hoping for a Liverpool win!
Do you think Liverpool beating Chelsea was the best result for us?
Man Utd News 24/7
its took me until yesterday to even be able to think clearly about the situation, but yeah, i would liek to think we gained a point this weekend!
“Liverpool’s position in the league is thanks to playing against 10 men in 4 of their 9 matches so far this season. Their position is thanks to dodgy deflections or miss-hit shots that find the back of the net.”
Yes very true, but we have had to come from behind in all of them with little time left in the game to produce. That statement is narrow-minded and nit-picking. Its a sign of a good team to comeback in adversity. Utd have had all that same luck in years gone by and none of your fans complained at all.
As for your comment about playing last years top 10 all away, Liverpool by Christmas time will have played Chelsea, City. Villa, Arsenal, Blackburn and Everton all away from home too, so far we have taken 10 points from 12 away compared to last seasons 8 so a minor improvement. So far Utd have garnered 8 points from 15 in that same period. Liverpools home record is decent also but no home wins are by all mean guaranteed as yourselves seen with Newcastle and us with Stoke. IMO Utd are not the same team as last year far from it. Personally, I rather have points in the bag rather than banging on about “points been deceiving at this stage of the season” if that was the case then Everton wouldn’t be where they are. Utd currently are in the position their in due to not normal standard in years gone by.
This makes me laugh, Man Utd are currently languishing in 6th place already beaten (and outplayed) by Liverpool, held by both Lowly Newcastle a fairly tepid Everton side who Liverpool have also hammered, Utd also drew away with Chelsea who Liverpool have also dispatched on their own patch. Despite this, Man Utd thinks that they are going to be involved in a two horse race to the title with Chelsea!
You refer to and criticise Liverpool celebrating after Liverpool’s win after taking Chelsea’s 4 year 8 month unbeaten record off them, I think it’s fair for the players to enjoy the moment after all, Man Utd have been unable to achieve this. In fact, it reminds me of when Man Utd won at Anfield a couple of years ago, I recall Gary Neville performing his own over zealous celebrations once the final whistle had blown, how these things are so easily forgotten!
5forkeeps – if you can find the season where United played against 10 men in 4 out of 9 games, I’d appreciate it. You say United have had that same luck in the past, so do let me know when this was, cheers.
You will have played 6 of the top 10 away, we will have played 8 of the top 10 away… including the remaining top 3 teams, whilst Liverpool will have played just 1 of the remaining top 3 teams away. You’re not trying to claim your fixtures will be anywhere near as tough as ours up to Christmas, are you?
This obsession is quite gratifying for all Liverpool fans. Ferguson is fooling nobody. Keep it coming!
Scott, every game in the Premier League is tough, yes we played only 1 of the big 3 thus far away granted but it was at the “fortress bridge” in fairness adn we will be at the Emirates right before Christmas so our fixtures are nigh on the same as yours there isn’t much difference 2 games that isn’t massive its not like its 5 or 6. In judging progression for my club I judge it on results compared to the season before as we have near enogh the same squad like yourselves with some additions. The only points in terms of who we played last season is Villa away -2 down on last seasons victory. Currently against the sides we have played so far we are 5 points better off, as we count the Stoke result as our Birmingham result from last season thus far. Honestly it will take a lot for us to win the league to finish in the top 2 would be huge progress. At this stage its one game at a time, seen too many false dawns to think otherwise.
Off the top of my head in terms of sendings off, why is it everyone is labeling Liverpool lucky in that regard been honest it wasn’t Xabi Alonso’s fault that Vidic nearly knocked him out or Tim Cahill busted him along with Valencia of Wigan and Zabaleta could have easily have broken his ankle much like Lampard did 3 years ago.
Utd have had the same luck…yes c’mon now. Sheff. Weds 1993 10 mins added time, Wednesday down to 10 men. Your treble season, injury winners without playing well at all constantly, you snipe at Liverpool for doing the same but Utd were clearly doing this using that one season as 1 example among countless other seasons to Scott buddy.
I wouldn’t write Liverpool off, they will be there at the end of the season, as will Utd and CSK. Arsenal? Not so sure but I wouldn’t be surprised. This season looks as though it’s shaping into the one we’ve all been threatening for years – 4 teams going the long-haul.
The Pool have improved because Rafa has stuck with a solid spine and stopped his bizarre rotation system. He has also put differences with Alonso behind him and in the process added an extra dimension to the side. Riera looks a decent addition too. They certainly haven’t the depth of Utd or CSK but I still wouldn’t disregard them. Every team needs some luck to win the title.
Roll on a crazy April/May with the top 4 jumping over each other again and again, last day games with split screens and horrible, yet beautiful, tension.
As long as we’re top of the file come summer I’ll be smiling (or in a cardiac unit)
Chelsea are our main title condenders no doubt, we will be 3 points off them if we win our game in hand.
Benitez will make some rotation calamity sooner or later, Liverpool play Portsmouth tonight and Spurs on Saturday two tricky games, I can see points being dropped.
I meant two ponts.
You made a good point there both Stephen and Jig. The rotation has been banded about a lot every manager does it. The problem with Benitez he hasn’t the quality depth in terms of bringing in quality while taken off quality. in the previous two league seasons combined, it was 235 total changes to United’s league line-ups to 244 to Liverpool’s, while Chelsea made 222. So not much in it. By contrast, Arsenal made only 171. He hasn’t rotated that much more than Wenger, SAF or Mourinho/Grant.
Riera has been a fantastic addition to the side and brings more balance to the side. He is a player we haven’t seen since Steve McManaman in terms if running at the opposition. Alonso seems to have been reborn again, he hasn’t produced these performances since late 2006, always thought he was a quality player and if he could get back to his best he would be like a new signing. We have the mercurial Deadly Dirk playing great football and look at our bench who sprung from it and impressed Sunday, Ryan Babel, give another 2 to 3 years this guy will be World Player of The Year.
The 2 games this week will define Liverpool IMO in terms of can we handle the pressure of being top and what that can bring. They will be two tough encounters as well. Should be an interesting week all in all, looking forward to the footy tonight some good games been played.
We all know there is no silverware dished out in October but this is a laughable attempt to downplay Liverpools impressive start to the season.
Its also laughable for a United fan to question another teams luck and over zealous celebrations. Nevilles celebration after beating liverpool? Calm cool and collected eh…!
And United have been the premier league pioneers of last minute winners and lucky decisions , its part and parcel of winning the league or do I sense a case of selective memory.
United went about 10 seasons without conceding a penalty at Old Trafford. Luck or maybe just downright corruption?
So for a change why dont united fans stop being so fixated with Liverpool, chant pro united songs on match day instead of anti scouse. Why not concentrate on your own league position instead of trying to justify ours? The season will soon unfold, whether Liverpool can maintain a challenge remains to be seen, but deep down you know it will eventually happen,whether it be this season or the next.
I just hope Fergies there to see it because God help United when Fergies gone
When Liverpool get into the business end of the Champions leage we will really see where Benitez’s priority lies, I am certain to will be in Europe.
Liverpool have had a good start, out it is how you finnish that defines your season, and we have only played 9 games, only another 29 to go! Plenty of time for things to unfold.
Well Stephen that is another thing that is a myth, Liverpool garnered more points from January to May last season than anyone while still reaching the Champions League semi-finals. The media just say things but don’t back them up at all when it comes to criticism of any club not just Liverpool but I feel its a duty to defend Benitez.
It gets blamed for rotation, zonal marking and not picking his best team but the fact is all these are mentioned only when the crapper hits the fan. His priority has never wavered the fact is we haven’t had the belief or quality to challenge realisitically season by season under Benitez up till this point. The only players that remain from his first is Carra, Sami, Xabi and Steven Gerrard. He has built a capable squad much like SAF did since 2003. It has taken time through painstaking backstabbing going on behind the scenes and the lack of money been supported to him for example to get Evra, Simao, Villa and Dani Alves for example and having to settle for some free-bee transfers and average rating players such as Bellamy and Pennant.
We will see how things unfold but the spine of our team will be crucial to our side, Reina, Carra, Agger/Skrtel, Masche, Alonso, Gerrard, Torres and/or Keane. Then you have decent enough full-backs in Aurelio and Arbeloa(who is underrated), those positions need improving as Dossena although he needs time to settle to me he is the Italian version of Julian Dicks and Degen is still injured another free-bee transfer. The cover then for full-backs is worrying in that we have just Insua and Darby who are not ready just yet for the first team, those 2 areas need improving. Kuyt is not a winger but is effective on the right and with Riera on the left both bring balance to the side.
Add to a decent back up central defence and mid with Sami and Lucas, Flyin Ryan in the wings, also Pennant(a decent backup but cannot be trusted on most occcasions), Yossi and newly signed Ngog are decent. What you need is all players to contribute as at various stages of the season injuries and suspensions will play there part. Remember we have missed Torres for now 4 or 5 games in the League come after tonights game and if we manage to win we are still top without IMO hitting 4th gear never mind top gear yet.
We will see how it unfolds hopefully the title race is meaningful in terms of all four or maybe five teams with a chance of winning coming into the final furlong.
You can’t say mate that he hasn’t spend money I know we have spend badly in the past ourselves, but Liverpool have wasted money on the likes of, Nunez, Garcia, Josemi, Morientes, Gonzalez, Sissoko. Crouch(to a lesser degree)Bellamy, Pennant, Palletta at the cost of over £46m.
You can say that he has recouped a lot of that money but he still spent that on relative flops in 4 years. You could say the jury is out on £11m Babel and to some degree £9m on Kuyt.
I know you can point the finger at us but we are not claiming that Fergie has not been supported in the transfer market.
You have brought in 33 players in 4 years, to our 19 I think?!?!
I don’t see Liverpool as being a title contender this year so it was most definately the best result. That’s an opinion though. Mathematically, the best result probably would have been 0-0. Nobody can say for sure that ‘Pool will finish the league any worse off than us.
I am not comparing to Utd in that way, just what I mean is Ferguson built his team since 2003 more often than not got his main target. Some of the players you mentioned.
Garcia was a relevant success he contributed to us winning the Champions League and FA Cup plus we recouped 4.5 mill of his 7 mill we purchased for him. IMO was a success.
Josemi was 2 million, we swap him for Kromkamp and then sold him for 2 million. Cheap flop.
Morientes was the big flop Benitez bought lost 4 million on him.
Gonzalez made a 1 million profit even though only there a year. Profit on a flop.
Made a 3 million profit on Sissoko after 2 and half seasons, bought him for 5.5 and sold for 8.5 million. Did well in his early days but his eye injury caused him more problems his passing was bad but got worse thereafter.
Made a 2 to 3 million profit on Crouch who in my opinion got better and better as his Liverpool career went on. He was a success IMO.
Bellamy, boutght for 6 million sold for 7 million later next summer not bad business for someone who didn’t quite do it at all.
Paletta, bought for 2 million, he is on loan somewhere now Liverpool have first refusal much like with Leto and Barragan who are still technically on Liverpools books.
Then we come to Pennant has been a flop, looking to offload him ASAP.
The jury isn’t in my opinion out on Kuyt, he is a typical Benitez player. He is the Rufete of Rafa’s Valencia side. Hard working and goes all day. Our joint top scorer this season it has to be said and he does have a lot of assists.
Babel, is young but hugely talented. He will be Torres strike partner sooner rather than later. He just needs to be more consistent. At 21 he has show cased his talents and his highly regarded within the club and fans. Ask any Liverpool fan they will tell your Ryan Babel is going to be World Class. As I said above this boy is going to be in 2 to 3 years time World Player of The Year. To come into England in your first season and score ten goals is a decent return.
I hope I don’t jinx Babel but I would go as far as to say the kid could be not only be as good as Henry but even better, the lad has an abundance of talent.
I could list al the frees but that would be petty.
You boys have started well but I personally believe that Benitez has a self destruct button with regards to the league, but might be wrong and this could be your season.
I believe that he has lived off the Champions league win for too long and your fans have stuck by him as an alliance against Gillett/Hicks.
If he fails to win anything this season, and all you have had is a good. if not a little fortuatous start, that could be good, or wallpapering over the cracks who knows at this stage, then I think really his time could be up.
I think you over rate Babel I bit I must say!
Sorry there lads, I must be lost, I was looking for ‘TheRepublikofMancunia’ website to have a chat with a few United lads on United issues, not read some scouser telling me that Garcia was a success and Paletta is out on loan!!!
North Stand,Tier 3,Back Row, Genius!!
Just an observation there Scott, but either Ive worked straight through my lunchbreak like a muppet (scousers – that working comment wouldnt effect ye…) or you never changed back the clock on the website…
We’re hijacking the super highway…did you not realise that lol…
Glad to hear that you consider us to be on the ‘super highway’, and of course what else would a scouser want to do, but hijack!!!
How much Benitez recoups on a poor signing doesn’t make the original signing any better. I don’t rate him hugely but he seems to be getting a few things right. The quantity of signings is absolutely ridiculous, he should be bringing in one/two big players every year and supplement them with a couple free transfers & some youth players. After 4 years you’d have some serious players.
PLUS – I reckon it’s good to get some opinion from opposition fans without the usual derogatory crap. Cue a barrage of Gooners claiming we are obsessed with their team?!?!?!?
hahaha, look at all these scousers flooding the page, and sprouting shite. They put in one good performance against a very under par Chelsea and they think their world beaters. It only too Liverpool 7 years to muster a home win against United, and United gifted them both goals, if they couldnt beat us when we play that poorly they were never going to beat us. They seem to be playing 10 men in every match, with a very suspect sending off of Valencia of Wigan. Babel’s goal against us was a miss hit, as was kuyt’s against Wigan, luck, luck, luck, more luck. Your luck will run out Liverpool, you will last the pace until January/ February and then you will fade away and finish in 4th place yet again, your consistent I’l give ya that!
5forkeeps, you think Babel could be even better than Henry? I think your watching him through a very thick pair of scouse tinted glasses, Babel hasnt got half the talent Henry had. Hes all one foot, he has no awareness of the play around, its head down and run down blind alleys, he has a good shot on him, thats about it!
To be honest I think its pretty naive to keep writing off Liverpool’s title challenge just because they’ve blown good situations in past seasons. They are consistently pulling off title winning results or comebacks, which is only going to breed confidence, and they have a squad capable of putting a challenge together. I think its time to realise they are serious contenders.
Scousers beware for you shall suffer the same fate as Arsenal last year.
5forkeeps, thanks for keeping it at level headed discussion and not idiotic name calling, which i must admit is occasionally fun though!
And I must admit that you lot look a lot more solid and dare I say difficult to break down. I think Mascherano, while an absolute nut/maniac, is terrific at his job of breaking up play. And based on this year, I’d say Alonso is outshinning gerrard in every match.
But, I would be willing to bet my house that Babel wont be anywhere near the world player of the year in 2 to 3 years. I’m just saying!! Its ok to big up your own players though, I was ready to anoint Anderson as the future best CM in the world after Anfield last year.
Very interesting scouse chat on a utd site…lol…lol…esp between our stephen and scouse 5forkeeps. LOL
right utd fans where are you today??????
And drew vader true true true…surprising a foreigner came on here and tried to be level headed instead of the vitriol the gooners bring on here.
That is not to say i all of a sudden like any scouse…..blimey i hate the dippers with a vengeance and passion.
But interesting comments…very placid should i say
Take care 4 now
PS. wheres me auld mucker failsworth to liven up a dreary day???
Every season it seems we keep predicting title winners and contenders earlier and earlier, next thing you know we’ll be having this discussion at the end of the pre-season. Right now the other top three teams all look a threat as they are playing well and getting results, be they be aided by luck or otherwise. I’m not a believer in luck as some random thing but rather something we create by persisting at what we aim to accomplish. On that note Liverpool played well on Sunday and deserved the win because they went to Stamford Bridge to win. Now that I’ve washed out my mouth with soap after that admission, I think we’ll have a better picture of who looks more poised to challenge for the title in early January.
United has the ability and the quality to retain the title, and I sure hope this proves true, but I’m very interested in the development of Berbatov in the squad as well as Ronaldo who hasn’t been at his best recently. Rooney fortunately has come in to fill the gap but if we get Ronaldo back in form and Berbatov fully settled in then I think we stand a great chance at defending the title again.
Fergie makes a good point about being happy Liverpool won, however I don’t think he’s underestimating them at all. The loss to them at Anfield was a tough one for me to watch, and if I were a Liverpool supporter I’d probably see some kind of sign in the fact they beat us at Anfield and broke Chelsea’s impressive home record. The business end of the season is yet to come so we’ll soon see what Arsenal and Liverpool are really made of since both of those teams are frequently critiqued for the quality of their benches.
suhayl, worth ago mate to try and civil every once in a while, won’t be a regular occurrance though mate!!
i kinda disagree
If chelsea beat liverpool, then you would expect liverpool to crumble and drop few points
but chelsea seem a team to bunce back after their setback
shame we didn’t take advantage vs everton
Fair comments all round, I do dislike yourselves but I do respect Utd as your a similar institution like Liverpool in terms of tradition and success much like Arsenal too it has to be said. What I don’t like is when both sets of fans show out abuse over the dead at Heysel, Hillsborough and Munich don’t get involved in that type of chanting at all.
Tonight’s games will be interesting to say the least. Love to see Hull take some points off Chelsea, absolutely hate Chelsea and what their club stands for.
Berbatov has made a huge difference to Rooney’s game this season from outsider looking in Ronaldo could be the one that could scupper Utd this season. His attitude in the last 2 games against West Brom and Wigan were unlike what he has been over the last 2 seasons. Do you think he still has that urge to go to Madrid sooner rather than later.
One player who I do like is Tevez, he’s a fucker for scoring against but talented to say the least and works very hard for the team much like Dirk Kuyt for us but he has a bit more of that Argentinian nouse about him, his compatriot Tommy Mascherano is mad as a brush but a superb player. Delighted we have him.
The real problem is we were leading at Anfield…lost, leading at the Bridge…draw and leading at Goodison…draw. 2 out of 9 points after leading away from home is not going to win titles. If titles are won and lost by 1-0 games and your ability to win 1-0 or not lose 1-0….we’re not doing so hot. If we hold on and win all three matches…you could start singing 11 times.
whiteknight, i agree mate. The anfield result was such a kick in the nuts. And never has a draw felt like a loss than at the Bridge.
and 5forKeeps, at least we can share and revel in a mutual hatred and disgust for those rent boy fucks in London
As much as I despise Liverpool (and Arsenal), I can’t argue that they won’t push us and Chelsea to the latter stages of the league.
But I do not think they will win the title, that will be between United and Chelsea.
Luck and injuries will come back to bite Liverpool on the backside, although they have had Torres and Skrtel injured, no midfielders yet, which is where they will struggle if any get injured (specifically Alonso and Gerrard), bet Rafa is glad he didnt sell Alonso for Barry now though!
Credit where credits due, they have had a fantastic start with a lot of luck going for them.
People (not on here) who are saying United are going to fail are narrow-minded fools.
And they guy who said Babel doesn’t have much talent, I disagree. He is one of the hottest prospects on the wing in many a year. Much better than Walcott.
Another 3 points for Liverpool tonight… courtesy of a penalty.
Their luck will run out sooner or later.
nah…walcott is far better !
We were awful against Pompey — but got the win needed. WTF Diop was trying to do at the corner I don’t know. But Gerrard stepped up and got us a crucial win playing not the best. Found it hard to break Pompey down.
5forkeeps, try this site mate probably more suitable for you http://www.anfieldroad.com/
Already a member buddy, of TIA, RAWK, Irish Kop, OTK
I will leave ya alone — thanks for the banter!!
Have a good one.