Rafa - United can still crack
-
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez claims Sir Alex Ferguson is "nervous" because he can see the Spaniard's Reds are better than Manchester United.
Benitez has been involved in a tit-for-tattle battle with his Old Trafford rival since the turn of the year as the pair scrap for the Premier League title.
Benitez, provoked by a prod from Ferguson regarding an ability to handle pressure, sparked the mind games in January with his infamously astonishing assessment of his counterpart's alleged influence over referees and the fixture list.
On Monday, Liverpool assistant manager Sammy Lee claimed the club were not interested in exchanging words with United, and Benitez insists he is not involved in a verbal conflict with Ferguson.
But the Spaniard has again spoken of his top-flight foe, telling Madrid-based paper ABC: "I'm not having a battle of words with Alex Ferguson.
"But I believe that he can see that we are the better side, and that we are very close to United.
"He has been accustomed to playing these types of mind games for many years.
"Nobody has ever said anything against him, or stood up to him. It seems like he has a licence to do these sorts of things.
"I try not to talk too much. But all I do when I speak is to defend my own team.
"I did not say that he seems frightened. I said that he looks nervous, as he can see that we are very close to his team."
Benitez, who saw his side drop points in Tuesday's 4-4 draw with Arsenal, is also adamant his side will not throw in the towel in their bid to secure a first league title in 19 years, despite trailing United by three points having played a game more.
He added: "It is essential for us to try to keep the pressure on United. We must not slacken off, and if we keep going that will make them feel under pressure.
"They have an advantage and if they don't slip up there is nothing we can do. But we must stay as close to them as possible in case they slip up.
"In any case, we will go after the title as long as it is still a possibility for us."
-
the title mis-leading
-
Originally posted by limpper:
the title mis-leading
better?
-
haha.. when will he realize that his mind-games dont really work?
rather than spending time on working on his own team, he's wasting time making so many comments..
-
man u play spurs next.
it wont be easy.
-
Yeah they've got him nervous alright, he's gonna yell at his players for not taking all those chances against Portsmouth
-
Originally posted by omgukilledkenny:
better?
alot better
lol -
Rafa really fails at playing mind games.. his comments speak more of his inferiority than irking Ferguson...
-
Fergie: Players will do the talking
Sir Alex Ferguson is happy to let Rafa Benitez take pops at Manchester United as he knows his players will do their talking on the pitch.
Benitez has launched a series of scathing attacks on Ferguson since the turn of the year, the latest being a claim that the United manager is fearful of Liverpool.
It maintained a feud Ferguson continued last week when he claimed Benitez had behaved with contempt towards Sam Allardyce for his reaction at a goal against Blackburn at Anfield recently, but Ferguson has no wish to silence Benitez.
He prefers to let his team do the talking. And at the moment they are the ones shouting loudest.
"He is definitely saying a lot," said Ferguson of Benitez's jibes.
"But I am happy for him to carry on with it.
"I have to trust my players. I know they are good enough.
"I have trusted them for years now. That is why I have picked them.
"They are a good bunch of lads and we will just carry on the way we always have."
-
ya hopefully
-
Haiz Ben and Alex fighting for trophy dun need to tok so much ma
-
This whole thing between them now is such a farce.
-
Rafa denies United jibe
Rafael Benitez had denied reports claiming he thinks Liverpool are better than Manchester United.
Benitez was quoted on Friday insisting the Reds were a better team than United and he was the only one willing to stand up to Sir Alex Ferguson.
Those comments sparked a reaction from United boss Ferguson in his press conference, but Benitez has since refuted such reports.
"It is not true," Benitez told Sky Sports News. "I did not say this.
"It was a normal conversation with a good journalist and then has been twisted a little bit.
Benitez, whose side travel to Hull on Saturday without injured captain Steven Gerrard, did offer his view on the state of play in the Premier League which sees the Merseyside outfit trailing the Red Devils by three points having played a game more.
The Spaniard said: "I think United are in the driving seat - that is clear. It depends on them so we have to keep going, keep doing our job, try to win, score four goals don't concede - things like this and see what happens."
Benitez, whose side dropped points in the 4-4 draw with Arsenal in midweek, believes the Gunners can lend a helping hand to the Reds in their title quest.
He added: "I think they will have difficult games and they have to play a lot of games so we have to keep the confidence, the belief that we can do it."
-
both alr old man liao, still want play this kind of games
-
Rafa - United can still crack
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez insists that Manchester United can still crack under the pressure in the title run-in.
The Reds went to the top of the Premier League on Saturday as they put Hull City to the sword at the KC Stadium.
But the Merseysiders' time at the summit was brief as United came from 2-0 down at half-time to crush Tottenham with five second half goals at Old Trafford.
The champions' result means they now sit three points ahead of Benitez's men with a game in hand but the Spaniard still believes the title race is not over.
"We have to keep on winning," he said.
"This football is always difficult and United are a good team, but if we keep winning I think maybe they will feel the pressure.
"You never know in football."
The former Valencia boss praised his team's 3-1 win at the struggling Tigers in what he described as difficult conditions.
"It was a terrible, terrible pitch, really difficult to play," he added.
"The ball was like a rabbit and it is difficult to catch a rabbit. It was a dry and long, terrible.
"If you lose you can say that is an excuse but we won, so I can explain it was difficult to play on.
"Pepe Reina was under pressure every time he tried to play the ball. We needed to be patient and try and pass the ball. We were a little bit under pressure.
"Credit to them, they played with 10 players and they were still pushing."
-
IMHO, Rafe seems more nervous about the whole title race thing...
-
duh -.-
ya lar, utd can still lose it, but it will be very hard
-
4 games left for pool.. The best they can do is win them all.
5 games left for Man U. just win 3 out of 5 will do, given that liverpool wins all... If liverpool slips, 2 win and one draw will be enough
-
these few days it's always him and him who is ranting ranting ranting
-
Yup, now he's really cracking up