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**Sir X** · January 13, 2009, 09:23 AM

Torres: Liverpool's day of reckoning will be against Man United at Old Trafford

By Matt Lawton Last updated at 1:49 AM on 13th January 2009

Fernando Torres has identified Manchester United's meeting with Liverpool at Old Trafford on March 14 as the match to decide the title race.
As Torres sat beside Cristiano Ronaldo at FIFA's world player of the year gala, he pinpointed judgment day.
'I think the game at Old Trafford will decide the title,' said the Spain striker. 'If everything goes as we expect, we think we'll go there in a similar position to the one we are in now.
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Chance at glory: World Player of the Year nominee Torres contemplates beating Manchester United at Old Trafford and winning the league with Liverpool

'Then it will be up to us to play our game and try to get a result in a ground that, in the past few years, has not been good for Liverpool. We know the chances we have. We have to go to Old Trafford and we'll play Arsenal and Chelsea at home. At the same time we shouldn't drop more points like we did at Stoke on Saturday.'
Torres nevertheless recognises the threat United pose to Liverpool's ambition of a first title in 19 years.

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'They are world and European champions,' he said. 'We respect them totally for the class of players they have. Many of them are among the best in the world and they're clear favourites to win the title. But we're working hard to compete and finish above them and we're on course.
'From the day I arrived it was clear to me that the League was the most important competition to the club, even more than the Champions League.'

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Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below?

I love the mind games... Man Utd are clear favourites...
Trying to take all of the pressure from the Kop and place it at Old Trafford... difference is we deal with this every single season
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- Chris, Northants, 13/1/2009 12:19

raffa did not crack up he was stating true fact's. when fugurson was asked after the chelsea game he looked distant on what to say about raffa's true fact statement. if you united win the premiership it will be help from the offial's that reffed the 0-1 win at stoke by united. they alway's get help some of the player's including rooney get a way with a lot. shame really.?
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- robin williams, oxford. uk, 13/1/2009 12:19

In football,any thing is possible. Liverpool can win the league with more commitments and focus.

**Sir X** · January 13, 2009, 09:24 AM

More Chel$ea woes :Spurs could offer escape route to unhappy Chelsea striker Anelka

By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 12:12 PM on 13th January 2009

Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka is the latest name to be linked with a move to Tottenham.

The former Arsenal man is reported to have had a training ground bust-up with under pressure manager Luiz Felipe Scolari and is ready to leave the club.

Dejected: Chelsea trio Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka after Sunday's 3-0 defeat at Manchester United

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The notoriously sulky Frenchman is unhappy at being named amongst the substitutes for Chelsea's last three games despite leading the Premier League goalscoring charts and is reportedly seeking a move away from Stamford Bridge.
Although Tottenham would be interested in a player of Anelka's ability, the 29-year-old is unlikely to consider joining the struggling London club at this stage of his career.
Spurs have already re-signed Jermain Defoe from Portsmouth and are keen to bring in more strike power in their fight against relegation.
But manager Harry Redknapp has identified West Ham's Craig Bellamy as his top target and is unlikely to make an audacious move for Anelka.

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he will be moving 2 man u....if not now later...mark my words...and will go into history books as the 1st player to play for all the big 4 teams,arsenal,liverpool,chelsea and man u...
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- kandasamy, malaysia, 13/1/2009 12:22

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**Sir X** · January 13, 2009, 09:46 AM

Chelsea give manager Luiz Felipe Scolari their backing

(PA/Martin Rickett)

Chelsea's performance at Old Trafford made painful viewing for manager Luiz Felipe Scolari

Matt Hughes, Deputy Football Correspondent

div#related-article-links p a, div#related-article-links p a:visited {color:#06c;}Chelsea will give Luiz Felipe Scolari until the summer to show that he is up to the job of taking the club forward. The board is desperate for the Brazilian to succeed after the previous two managers departed in the space of eight months, but concedes that it will have to review Scolari’s position if his side are not challenging for honours at the end of the season.
José Mourinho and Avram Grant left Chelsea within months of their abortive attempts to capture the Premier League and Champions League, but failure to win silverware is not necessarily viewed as a sacking offence. Rather, the club’s minimum expectation of their manager is that Chelsea should be in contention for the leading prizes at the end of the season, giving added significance to the Champions League first knockout round tie against Juventus, the first leg of which is on February 25.
An early exit from the one competition that Chelsea have yet to win under Roman Abramovich, the owner, could bring trouble for Scolari, who signed a two-year contract with an option for a year’s extension last summer, especially if they also fall out of contention in the Barclays Premier League. They are second, four points behind Liverpool, but after Sunday’s 3-0 defeat away to Manchester United, they have the champions breathing down their necks, one point adrift with two matches in hand. Defeat in their FA Cup third-round replay away to Southend United tomorrow would not help.
Chelsea would still be extremely reluctant to dismiss Scolari, not least because the huge payoffs awarded to Mourinho and Grant have damaged their hopes of breaking even by 2010, as is expected to be revealed when their annual financial results are published next month. Parting company with him this summer would mean that one year’s work would cost them £10 million.
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In addition, Scolari has generated a huge amount of goodwill in six months at Stamford Bridge, promoting better relationships between departments, softening the club’s image among non-Chelsea fans and, on occasions at least, improving the quality of the team’s football.
However, a run of one win in six matches has raised doubts over Scolari’s abilities, especially his training methods. Eyebrows were raised among the players when they were forced to play an 11-a-side, 90-minute practice match in training on Thursday, an unusual occurrence given their workload, which last season amounted to 62 matches. There was no post mortem yesterday over the United defeat, but Scolari will hold a team meeting before training today.
The board insists that the players should take responsibility for their performances rather than blaming the manager, a view Scolari, 60, seemed to support yesterday by questioning his side’s mentality. He also confirmed that no signings would be made this month despite recent results, a decision with which he said he was happy.
“I spoke with Peter Kenyon [the chief executive] a month ago and ten days ago and there will be no new players coming in,” Scolari said. “This is my squad and I’m happy with it. What I need to change is the attitude or the mentality, not the players.
“There are two options. Either I stick with the same players and they raise themselves, or I change them and try some different players. We’re not playing well enough to win any competition.”

Have your say

Blame the players if you like but when their managers are sacked one by one despite achieving what are by most measures good results their must come a point when the players' determination is undermined as they realise their only purpose is to satisfy one man's vanity.

Peter Southam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Scolari lost the plot. No plan B if Chelsea have to chase the game. What Chelsea need is a manager with European Champions League and premiership experience. One name does spring to mind. Jose Mourinho!

Kypros Shacolas, NICOSIA, CYPRUS

**Jangle** · January 13, 2009, 09:48 AM

I think Harry Redknapp's move for Craig Bellamy is a wrong one. His strike force would be made up of two short, but very speedy strikers. The English game requires a striker of some height to play against tall defenders which make up most squads.

**Sir X** · January 13, 2009, 09:57 AM

Wow this is the Carl Brown mentality of football too short , so rooney , tevez , defoe ,yorke romario etc betta guh sidung .

You and Assasin graduate with honors.

**Assasin** · January 13, 2009, 10:09 AM

how me come inna this?

Did you ever hear me talk about height as the only citeria for a forward?

Are you mentioning height because I think Crouch is a good player?

How is that related?

**Sir X** · January 13, 2009, 10:34 AM

Easy with your past uttterings of what it takes to make a succesfull PREM team , I.E Liverpol should develop young english talent to play good football(not win the league ) and your ignorance of the financial market in assembling a team to win the prem must be from a certain school.

You expect liverpool to run thier club like A Villa and hope that one of the top 4 clubs have an injury crisis so you can justify your ridiculous position.i.e Arsenal.

Not to mention your die hard support of the inconsistent Fuller , what did you say no bids.Well Beatie is in for 3.5 million , He could be out next year if Stoke stay up for free.

C.B way of thinking.Ask yuh bredren if im ear bout Owen & martins from Newcastle, whats the height on them or your boy Gabby from Villa .

**Assasin** · January 13, 2009, 10:41 AM

so how did the height factor come into your reasoning?

I was one of the first person who stated that height by itself don't mean a better football team when our local coach spoke about it.

Tell me about the height, Show me any post I made that I confirmed that height is one of citeria to be a good player.

One post.

**Assasin** · January 13, 2009, 10:48 AM

what you talking about Villa?
You nuh see that Booma has been out all season, there left back that was hardly beaten last season. Laursen there best defender and offensive threat is out. John Carew their leading scorer last year has been out and yet still they keep on motoring.

Now Torres has been out and it look like unnu can't score fi save unnu life.

**Sir X** · January 13, 2009, 10:49 AM

LOL..hehe ..I wont .

**Jangle** · January 13, 2009, 10:50 AM

It looks like me haffi mek Mr. QC Gamma read me posts dem before I submit, or consult a Thesaruas. I said "some height", which in "MY" mind means over 5'5'' tall. If HR gets Bellamy, then he would have two midgets running his frontline. I could be proven wrong, but i don't think that that combination would do well against taller more physical team like Bolton or Stokes. Hey, that's just my opinion. Newcastle's combination of Owens and Martins hasn't materialised as yet, and both are "AVERAGE" height, not "SHORT".

Beatie cannot take Fuller's game. He will work well with Fuller. I think they played together briefly at Southhampton.

**Sir X** · January 13, 2009, 10:51 AM

Villa is lucky that they have to deal with an injury prone arsenal and a Chelsea's in disarray , but to be honest there was a time when a injury or disarrayed team in the top 4 would not be caught by a mid table club .Martin Oneal is doing something right.

**Sir X** · January 13, 2009, 10:53 AM

LOL Thanks for the clarification QC or PC isnt needed..CC YA lata guys , got my jokes for tday.

**Assasin** · January 13, 2009, 10:58 AM

Villa outplayed Arsenal with and without their top players. Twice this season. Villa didn't have some of their top players either.

Yes Oneil is doing somthing right. Watch the ride.

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