Jamie carragher believes that Liverpool must continue to become more like Manchester United if they’re to win the Premier League title.
Earlier this season, Carragher’s Anfield team-mate, left winger, Albert Riera hit out at their great North West rivals by branding them ‘lucky’ because of their tendency to win games with late goals.
But while there’s not much love lost between Bootle-born Carragher and Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, the 31-year-old defender has a begrudging respect for United’s ability to secure the points in the closing stages of matches and believes that it is a vital commodity for his own team to possess if they’re to thwart the Red Devils from equalling Liverpool’s English record of 18 titles this term by breaking their own duck in the Premier League.
Liverpool have been developing a knack for late winners themselves this term and came from behind twice to defeat Portsmouth 3-2 at Fratton Park on Saturday, a result that ultimately cost Tony Adams his job.
Dirk Kuyt levelled on 85 minutes and Fernando Torres netted the winner on 90 minutes to temporarily lift Rafael Benitez’s side above United at the Premier League summit before their own 1-0 victory at West Ham on Sunday.
Coming just six days after Chelsea were felled at Anfield by two Torres goals in the final two minutes, it was the sixth time that Liverpool had won a game in the final five minutes this season and the third occasion they had struck the winner in the final minute, a statistic which pleases Carragher. He said: “It’s not just a one-off game, we’ve come from behind like that quite a bit this season.
“It’s something Manchester United have done a lot in the past to win titles and you’ve got to take your hat off to them because they’ve done it over the years and this season as well.
“It’s something we’ve not been too good at in recent years but we seem to have it in our locker this season and hopefully that will push us as close to the title as possible.”
Carragher added: “There’s nothing better when you think you’re going to lose a game and you come back and win – it knocks the stuffing out of the opposition and you just want the referee to blow the final whistle as soon as that goal goes in.
“We still had to defend a few high balls into the box (at Portsmouth) but you’ve got to keep your emotions in check as you’re so excited but you realise that the game still hasn’t finished but we were delighted when we got back in the dressing room.”
Following last Wednesday’s energy-sapping FA Cup replay defeat to Everton which went into extra time, Benitez made six changes for the trip to Fratton Park and going into last five minutes with Portsmouth leading 2-1, Liverpool faced the potential of ending the weekend five points adrift of United at the summit with the Red Devils also having a game in hand. However, Liverpool’s last-gasp win keeps them within touching distance of Ferguson’s men with the gap still just two points and with faltering Chelsea replacing Luiz Felipe Scolari with Guus Hiddink following their goalless draw at home to Hull City, the battle for the title looks like an increasingly two-horse race – unless improving Aston Villa can cause the biggest shock in Premier League history.
Carragher maintains that he has never given up on Liverpool’s title aspirations and with a crunch trip to Old Trafford just over a month away reckons his own side’s penchant for late winners will stand them in good stead.
He said: “We never thought our title hopes were dead and buried although we realised we were making things more difficult for ourselves but we’ve got the three points but United have got the game in hand so it’s up to them.
“We’ll only be able to tell in the coming months what effect these two late wins have had but it can only be positive because scoring goals late gives you a massive lift.”
Earlier this season, Carragher’s Anfield team-mate, left winger, Albert Riera hit out at their great North West rivals by branding them ‘lucky’ because of their tendency to win games with late goals.
But while there’s not much love lost between Bootle-born Carragher and Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, the 31-year-old defender has a begrudging respect for United’s ability to secure the points in the closing stages of matches and believes that it is a vital commodity for his own team to possess if they’re to thwart the Red Devils from equalling Liverpool’s English record of 18 titles this term by breaking their own duck in the Premier League.
Liverpool have been developing a knack for late winners themselves this term and came from behind twice to defeat Portsmouth 3-2 at Fratton Park on Saturday, a result that ultimately cost Tony Adams his job.
Dirk Kuyt levelled on 85 minutes and Fernando Torres netted the winner on 90 minutes to temporarily lift Rafael Benitez’s side above United at the Premier League summit before their own 1-0 victory at West Ham on Sunday.
Coming just six days after Chelsea were felled at Anfield by two Torres goals in the final two minutes, it was the sixth time that Liverpool had won a game in the final five minutes this season and the third occasion they had struck the winner in the final minute, a statistic which pleases Carragher. He said: “It’s not just a one-off game, we’ve come from behind like that quite a bit this season.
“It’s something Manchester United have done a lot in the past to win titles and you’ve got to take your hat off to them because they’ve done it over the years and this season as well.
“It’s something we’ve not been too good at in recent years but we seem to have it in our locker this season and hopefully that will push us as close to the title as possible.”
Carragher added: “There’s nothing better when you think you’re going to lose a game and you come back and win – it knocks the stuffing out of the opposition and you just want the referee to blow the final whistle as soon as that goal goes in.
“We still had to defend a few high balls into the box (at Portsmouth) but you’ve got to keep your emotions in check as you’re so excited but you realise that the game still hasn’t finished but we were delighted when we got back in the dressing room.”
Following last Wednesday’s energy-sapping FA Cup replay defeat to Everton which went into extra time, Benitez made six changes for the trip to Fratton Park and going into last five minutes with Portsmouth leading 2-1, Liverpool faced the potential of ending the weekend five points adrift of United at the summit with the Red Devils also having a game in hand. However, Liverpool’s last-gasp win keeps them within touching distance of Ferguson’s men with the gap still just two points and with faltering Chelsea replacing Luiz Felipe Scolari with Guus Hiddink following their goalless draw at home to Hull City, the battle for the title looks like an increasingly two-horse race – unless improving Aston Villa can cause the biggest shock in Premier League history.
Carragher maintains that he has never given up on Liverpool’s title aspirations and with a crunch trip to Old Trafford just over a month away reckons his own side’s penchant for late winners will stand them in good stead.
He said: “We never thought our title hopes were dead and buried although we realised we were making things more difficult for ourselves but we’ve got the three points but United have got the game in hand so it’s up to them.
“We’ll only be able to tell in the coming months what effect these two late wins have had but it can only be positive because scoring goals late gives you a massive lift.”
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