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**Paul Marin** · March 23, 2009, 05:52 PM

X, while I am hopeful, there is a different dynamic about this race than that one. If we win all 8 remaining games, we have a chance, but we MUST DO THAT. Can we beat the old boggie teams (arsenal, spurs, west ham) between now and the final day? Tall order. Maybe that resale of Robbie Keane may come back to haunt Rafa afterall....

**Sir X** · March 23, 2009, 08:08 PM

My money is on Rafa.Man U is mentally scared and Rafa has given inspiration to all the others..

Man U has a double with Arsenal in the CL I hope .I predict that Spurs , Villa & Arsenal with take points off Man U , thats 12 points right there .They will stumble and if they do they will fall.Question is can Liverpool jump over them when they do.To me its not Man U title to loose, its liverpools to loose.Rafa always finishes his season strong.

Fergie is going to be institutionalised into the nut house , he is cracking up..lol

**Westman** · March 23, 2009, 08:11 PM

Start preparing your Xcuses. You are going to need them.

**Sir X** · March 23, 2009, 08:15 PM

I like your BIG SPEECH earlier , you rallied the troops , Lazie , Jangle etc ,yuh prez (lazie) loose im position ..hehe , whey Rockman deh ? ..lol.

Dis nuh dun , till Rafa say it dun.Welcome to Rafalution.

**Westman** · March 23, 2009, 08:34 PM

Bredrin, Man U has been in this position many times before. It just some happens that this time the KOP are the impostors. The harder they come the harder they fall. For so many seasons it has gone nto the wire and then it was ususally the same cream rising to the top and then soon after the Xcuses there is no more about those vanquished. I hope you have your Southwest reservations because you will want to get away. By the way, dont even think about it. You are too young to seek solace in Shady Pines. You have nuff more seasons of this friendly banter with us here.

**Sir X** · March 23, 2009, 08:57 PM

Imposters? This mental illness is a Man U thing , it starts from the top(fergie) .Let me remind you , until you eclipse our record you will forever be delusional about empires and Imposters seeking your throne.Your reality is it belongs in Anfield.

I truly cannot say I am sorry for you , to be honest maybe this delusional state is best for you with the secound coming of the King with the real empire .

**Sir X** · March 23, 2009, 09:29 PM

MIND GAMES RAFA STAYS SILENT AS HE SPOOKS FERGIE

KEEPING CALM: Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is content just to enjoy the thrill of the chase

Tuesday March 24,2009

By Paul Joyce

THE invitation to twist the knife was there, but Rafa Benitez resisted temptation and instead bit his lip.

“You’ll have to ask Mr Ferguson,” came Liverpool boss Benitez’s curt reply when asked if Manchester United were wilting under the weight of expectation in a nerve-jangling title race.

If Sir Alex Ferguson anticipated another round of verbal jousting to ensue in the wake of Liverpool’s 5-0 dismantling of Aston Villa, then he should be almost as disappointed by his rival’s refusal to swallow the bait as United’s anaemic performance in their defeat by Fulham.

There is no need for Benitez to offload a barrage of acerbic asides when his team’s actions eloquently resonate loudest of all.

And it is the sound of silence from within Anfield, as well as Liverpool’s breath catching the back of United’s necks, that will be making Ferguson sit uncomfortably in his office at Carrington today.

What has been noticeable as hostilities between Liverpool and United have intensified is how Benitez has carefully beaten a retreat from any confrontation, offering Ferguson the opportunity to try to set the agenda at a point in the season when energies should be focused solely on matters on the pitch.

Imagine the sort of sermon Guus Hiddink would have imparted had Chelsea not faltered against Tottenham on Saturday, regaling everyone on how the pressure was getting to the champions, and the contrast with Benitez becomes clear.

Ferguson’s flawed allegation last Friday that Benitez had spent more money than him in the transfer market since 2004 could have seen the Spaniard erupt Vesuvius-like. Instead, his calm response was for people to “check the figures”.

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Though the impression has stuck of “ranting Rafa” following his infamous outburst in January, when the battle lines with Ferguson were first drawn, the truth is that he delivered his “facts” in a measured, methodical way.

The surprise nature of that attack caught out Ferguson and it is the unpredictability of what Benitez may, or may not, do next that will be unnerving for the Old Trafford supremo.

Increasingly, the only thing of which Ferguson can be sure is that the momentum is with Liverpool as they endeavour to overturn United’s slender one-point lead which could become four if the champions win their game in hand.

There is little doubting that Liverpool’s improvement has coincided with the return to form of key players such as Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres, while United’s wobble has come with Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo seemingly unable to do right for doing wrong.

But it could be that both Benitez, who masterminded two come-from-behind title triumphs while at Valencia, and Liverpool are simply more comfortable with the thrill of the chase, rather than dominating from on high.

Jamie Carragher gave credence to that argument as he considered how the title race has been reignited with Liverpool belatedly coming to terms with what is required for them to emerge on top.

“It’s not normal for a lot of the results to go for you at the top of the league, so it put a bit more pressure on us,” said Carragher.

“There was more riding on the Villa game and the supporters were coming to the ground with greater expectations.

“We’ve probably found it difficult a few times this season to cope with that, so to run out 5-0 winners was a great result.

“I think back to the West Ham game this season. There was a big sense of expectancy then, a lot of teams had dropped points over the weekend and we were playing on the Monday night, but we didn’t capitalise on it.

“It was important we did capitalise this time. We’re well aware that the title is in Manchester United’s hands, but we’re just trying to put them under as much pressure as possible.

“There’s an improved mental strength throughout the team. Earlier on in the season, we hadn’t been in that position at the top before and we weren’t used to it.

“But we are maturing and getting used to the demands of fighting for a title.

“This time the results have gone for us again. It was a big game that we had to win and this time we were much calmer.”

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