EPL ~ Rafa begs Newcastle to halt United's title surge
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Help us out: Rafa begs Newcastle to halt United surge
Two precious goals: Relief for Rafa Benitez at Anfield as Liverpool beat Sunderland
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Channel 27: "Live"
Rafael Benitez has called on Newcastle to do Liverpool a favour and throw the title chase wide open when they host Manchester United tonight.Second-half goals from David Ngog - his first in the Barclays Premier League - and Yossi Benayoun gave Liverpool a fairly comfortable 2-0 win over Sunderland at Anfield last night and cut United's lead at the top of the table to four points.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side have two games in hand but defeat at St James' Park tonight might at least plant some seeds of doubt in the minds of the champions with Liverpool's next League game at Old Trafford.
Chelsea are also still in the hunt after a late Didier Drogba goal at Portsmouth gave Guus Hiddink's side a 1-0 win and kept them ahead of Liverpool on goal difference.
Asked if he would be supporting Newcastle, Benitez said: 'Yes. We want to win, so if United can't win there, it would be very good for us. It will be important for us to win at Old Trafford. If we can't, it will be very difficult.'
Victory last night was Liverpool's first in three League games following the bitter disappointment of losing 2-0 at struggling Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Benitez paid tribute to his players, saying: 'We needed to win because we were in a good position before the Middlesbrough game and the defeat was disappointing.
'We had to show character and the reaction of the players was very good.' Liverpool had an early let-off when Kenwyne Jones was through on goal but failed to beat Pepe Reina with a poor shot.
Sunderland manager Ricky Sbragia said: 'I don't think he'll be watching that too many times again. He should have scored and he's obviously disappointed with it.
'But we were pleased to go in 0-0 at half-time. Then we fell asleep for the first goal and conceded the second too soon after that.'
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Hiddink: United could crack if we keep putting on the pressure
Guus Hiddink is hoping Manchester United buckle in the title race
Guus Hiddink claimed Manchester United could buckle in the race for the title after Didier Drogba's winner at Portsmouth last night reduced the gap to just four points.
United travel to Newcastle on Wednesday and will then still have a game in hand on Chelsea, but Hiddink believes that they are piling the pressure on the reigning Premier League champions.
Drogba's goal 11 minutes from time at Fratton Park settled a thrilling clash and protected Hiddink's 100 per cent record since replacing Luiz Felip Scolari at Stamford Bridge.
Didier Drogba celebrates his crucial late winner for Chelsea
Pompey confirmed Paul Hart has been named as the club's manager until the end of the season, but Chelsea were the ones celebrating.
Hiddink said: 'We have put United under more pressure, but they still have a game in hand. 'They're an experienced team, of course, but it's good for everyone in this championship to have the pressure on the side at the top.
'What is good in this Chelsea team is that they react. They are now not happy when things are not going well. 'They make this extra effort to get things done. Then you see they get rewards.'
Although Hiddink is realistic enough to know Chelsea's chances of catching United are slim, they have rediscovered their winning mentality under the Dutchman. Drogba's goal was only his second in the league this season, but it was a crucial strike in a game Chelsea could easily have lost.
Hiddink added: 'In difficult circumstances, we are satisfied with the win. 'It's difficult for me to talk about a change with Drogba. He knows that he has not scored many goals so far this season.
'A goal gets rid of the tension that a player might have. When a player is playing in that position but not scoring, then it gets to him. That was an emotional explosion.'
Hart, who has been appointed to lead Portsmouth away from danger at the foot of the table, said: 'We could have easily won. We probably deserved to. Despite the result, I'm pleased to have the job.'
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Liverpool and Chelsea... better worry about their own 2nd and 3rd spot first...
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Ferguson is set to make major changes for the St James' Park trip, with the inclusion of six players who didn't play any part in the Carling Cup win over Tottenham at Wembley, including Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney, who has recovered from a virus.
Also in the United line-up will be Nemanja Vidic, with his manager admitting he had made an error in putting him on the bench at the weekend and handing Rio Ferdinand a start instead.
"The only mistake I made on Sunday was with Vidic," said Ferguson. "I didn't realise he had played three games in the competition. "But I needed Ferdinand back into rhythm because he missed too many games from December onwards.
"Having got that really good game under his belt we hope Ferdinand and Vidic will be a really solid partnership to the end of the season."
With the Club World Cup and the Carling Cup now safely locked in the United trophy cabinet, United embark on a 10-day spell in which the reality of a quintuple bid will start to emerge.
The Premier League encounter with Newcastle, plus another against Liverpool at Old Trafford on March 14 sandwich Saturday's FA Cup trip to Fulham and the eagerly-anticipated Champions League decider with Inter Milan next Wednesday.
Should United come through that lot unscathed, the odds on an unprecedented five-timer will really start to tumble.
Not that Ferguson is giving such an achievement even the most cursory acknowledgement.
At the start of each season, the United chief sets his team the target of winning a major trophy. In 2006, the Carling Cup alone fitted the bill. Now either the Champions League or Premier League would do nicely.
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well, if MU wins the next 3 games... it is fanastic!!!
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Looks like Guus, Rafa and Wenger are now ganging up trying to put most pressure on Fergie and United... Fergie need to keep it strong and not let the players get complacent cos its certainly far from over...
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on your knees, potato-man.... beg....
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Originally posted by zocoss:
Looks like Guus, Rafa and Wenger are now ganging up trying to put most pressure on Fergie and United... Fergie need to keep it strong and not let the players get complacent cos its certainly far from over...
if the tables are turn, and either the three are managing, I worry for them..
but we are talking about SAF, the wily old fox with the red nose... hard lor..
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tell rafa
TOO BAD
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tell rafa, lose with pride pls
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i got feeling man utd will kelong this match and draw
0-0
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Originally posted by gunner77:
i got feeling man utd will kelong this match and draw
0-0
why would they wanna kelong
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Originally posted by jgho83:
why would they wanna kelong
so they can make it interesting for the rest.. and maybe just maybe, Gunners will come in and win it by one point....
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Rafa's getting desperate, in your face........ 2-1, hahaha
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Originally posted by iceFatboy:
so they can make it interesting for the rest.. and maybe just maybe, Gunners will come in and win it by one point....
yup, only a 16 point difference. Assuming Arsenal score maximum point, 30, and Man U score pathetic points, say 14, which translate to 4 win 2 draw and 5 loss... than Arsenal win by goal difference.
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Lolx? U beg also no use Man Utd still beat them 2-1
Man Utd 65
Chelsea 58
Liverpool 58
Villa 52
Arsenal 49
Everton 45
