THE last time Alex Ferguson wanted Liverpool to win any game it was only because Manchester United's title hopes were resting on it.
On the final day of the 1994/95 season Fergie was relying on a favour from Liverpool to stand any chance of guiding United to the championship.
A win for the Reds against Blackburn at Anfield would have been enough to hand the title to United as long as they kept their side of the bargain by beating West Ham at Upton Park.
In the days leading up to Sky's original "Super Sunday" Ferguson kept banging on to the press about Liverpool having to do right by the competition by doing their level best to inflict defeat on Blackburn - even though there was nothing riding on the outcome for Roy Evans' side and Rovers were managed by Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish.
Liverpool won the game but, thankfully, United could only draw theirs. Blackburn were crowned champions and Liverpool's honour was left intact.
More than 13 years have passed since then but at the start of this week Ferguson was again delighted to see Liverpool win a game – or so he said.
"That was the result I wanted," insisted the United boss and with those six words he basically admitted for the first time in far too long that Liverpool are a genuine threat.
Ferguson only ever says nice things about teams that don't concern him, that's the nature of the beast.
In the weird and wonderful world of Premier League mind games, put downs are seen as an effective way of gaining a psychological advantage over your rivals and Ferguson has used them time and time again.
The year after Blackburn pipped his team to the post, Newcastle were United's big rivals in the title race and as the pair edged closer to the finishing line Ferguson indulged in the kind of mind games which have become his trademark.
With Newcastle set to meet Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, Ferguson told the media he doubted Frank Clark's team would make the same kind of effort against the Magpies as they would if they were facing his own.
Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan exploded with his infamous "I'd love it" rant, Newcastle went on to only draw with Forest and the title was Old Trafford bound. Easy.
Ferguson is not stupid, he knows full well that given the way Liverpool have started this season that they have their best chance of mounting a genuine title challenge in years.
He also knows that were they to go all the way his hopes of "knocking them off their perch" as England's most successful club before he retires would be put in serious jeopardy.
That's why the mind games have already begun.
And Liverpool should take his insistence that a victory by the club he still regards as United's biggest rivals was the result he wanted as the biggest backhanded compliment they could ever receive.
A draw at Stamford Bridge would have suited Ferguson down to the ground because United going eight points behind Liverpool has never and will never be viewed as a good thing at Old Trafford.
It remains to be seen whether or not Liverpool have got what it takes to go the distance in this season's title race but one thing's for sure – Ferguson is already worried that they can and it's doubtful in the extreme that he will "want" them to win any more games in the coming months.
On the final day of the 1994/95 season Fergie was relying on a favour from Liverpool to stand any chance of guiding United to the championship.
A win for the Reds against Blackburn at Anfield would have been enough to hand the title to United as long as they kept their side of the bargain by beating West Ham at Upton Park.
In the days leading up to Sky's original "Super Sunday" Ferguson kept banging on to the press about Liverpool having to do right by the competition by doing their level best to inflict defeat on Blackburn - even though there was nothing riding on the outcome for Roy Evans' side and Rovers were managed by Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish.
Liverpool won the game but, thankfully, United could only draw theirs. Blackburn were crowned champions and Liverpool's honour was left intact.
More than 13 years have passed since then but at the start of this week Ferguson was again delighted to see Liverpool win a game – or so he said.
"That was the result I wanted," insisted the United boss and with those six words he basically admitted for the first time in far too long that Liverpool are a genuine threat.
Ferguson only ever says nice things about teams that don't concern him, that's the nature of the beast.
In the weird and wonderful world of Premier League mind games, put downs are seen as an effective way of gaining a psychological advantage over your rivals and Ferguson has used them time and time again.
The year after Blackburn pipped his team to the post, Newcastle were United's big rivals in the title race and as the pair edged closer to the finishing line Ferguson indulged in the kind of mind games which have become his trademark.
With Newcastle set to meet Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, Ferguson told the media he doubted Frank Clark's team would make the same kind of effort against the Magpies as they would if they were facing his own.
Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan exploded with his infamous "I'd love it" rant, Newcastle went on to only draw with Forest and the title was Old Trafford bound. Easy.
Ferguson is not stupid, he knows full well that given the way Liverpool have started this season that they have their best chance of mounting a genuine title challenge in years.
He also knows that were they to go all the way his hopes of "knocking them off their perch" as England's most successful club before he retires would be put in serious jeopardy.
That's why the mind games have already begun.
And Liverpool should take his insistence that a victory by the club he still regards as United's biggest rivals was the result he wanted as the biggest backhanded compliment they could ever receive.
A draw at Stamford Bridge would have suited Ferguson down to the ground because United going eight points behind Liverpool has never and will never be viewed as a good thing at Old Trafford.
It remains to be seen whether or not Liverpool have got what it takes to go the distance in this season's title race but one thing's for sure – Ferguson is already worried that they can and it's doubtful in the extreme that he will "want" them to win any more games in the coming months.
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