The build up to Liverpool’s annual visit to Old Trafford would not be the same without a steady stream of Liverpool players stating their belief that they can win at the home of one of their biggest rivals.
Last season, such brave words were made to look incredibly hollow as Liverpool slumped to a 3-0 defeat on an afternoon to forget for everyone associated with the Anfield club.
This time around though, hopes are high that deeds can match words – particularly after Tuesday night’s super show against Real Madrid.
Dutch duo Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt know just what a tall order it is to come up with any kind of victory against Manchester United, never mind an away win but they also believe should Liverpool hit the same heady heights they reached in their demolition of Madrid then they will give themselves an excellent chance of getting the result they crave.
“They are beatable”, insists Babel, who scored the winner when the two sides met at Anfield earlier this season.
“If we concentrate and play to our level then there is no reason why we can't beat Manchester United for a second time this season.
“It’s a game we have to win in terms of the title race. If we do that then hopefully our title chances will look different.
“After beating Real we will take a lot of confidence into the game.”
Critics will justifiably point to the fact that the last time Liverpool beat Real they followed it up with a shambolic display at Middlesbrough and the accompanying defeat put a massive dent in their hopes of winning the Premier League.
Two weeks on from that bleak day in the North East, Kuyt is hopeful that things will be different even though Alex Ferguson’s league leaders will be desperate to finish off their title dreams for another season.
He said: “We are very satisfied at making it through to the next round of the Champions League but it is also a very timely boost for our next game in the Premier League.
“If we can beat Real Madrid 4-0 at Anfield then at the very least we should have a chance on Saturday but we know it will be tough because Man United are a very good team who are challenging for a number of trophies.
“The first thing we have to do is to enjoy the win against Madrid, take the good things from that game and then we have to look ahead to the next match and try to get another good result.
“The confidence in the team is high at the moment as you would expect after such a good result in the Champions League.
“Everyone is talking about Madrid playing really badly but the win is also a great credit to our team because we worked really hard from the very start of the game and we deserved the result.”
As well as the afterglow of their midweek Champions League heroics, Kuyt is also looking back to events earlier in the campaign for inspiration.
Foremost in his mind are the results Liverpool have already earned against their fellow big four members, with the victory over United at Anfield being a particular cause for hope.
“In the last couple of seasons we haven’t done too well at Old Trafford so it is obviously time that we changed this,” he said.
“I think we have shown this season that whenever we have come up against big opponents we have managed to compete with them and have come up with some very good results.
“We managed to beat United at Anfield, we have beaten Chelsea at home and away and we have also managed to get a draw at Arsenal so hopefully we can do the same at Old Trafford.
“We know that a win is what we need and we also know that it will be very difficult to get the result that we are looking for but we will definitely be giving it a try.
The fact that United are yet to taste defeat at home this season shows what a tall order it is to win at Old Trafford and Kuyt acknowledges that the squad Alex Ferguson has put together has the kind of quality needed to challenge on all fronts.
The 28-year-old reluctantly admits that United could win a quintet of trophies this season but also believes that they could yet be derailed. He said: “They definitely have the quality but there is still a long way to go for them and a lot of games still to be played.
“If you look at the race for the title then obviously they have got a lot of points already and they have a good lead at the top of the table.
“This means that it will be difficult for ourselves and for Chelsea to catch them but it is football and you never know what might happen so you have to be prepared to fight to the death.
“Hopefully we can beat them and after that we will see how it is going.”
Asked which United players Liverpool need to be pay particular attention to, Kuyt issues an emphatic response – “all eleven!”
“But our job is to prepare for them in the time we have before the game and to make sure that we give everything to get the result that we are looking for.
“Another win would be great and if we are able to get that then we will see where we are afterwards.”
The belief is there, now Liverpool must go to Old Trafford and live up to their brave words.
Should they do so then their title dreams will not be extinguished and they could even be reignited.
Last season, such brave words were made to look incredibly hollow as Liverpool slumped to a 3-0 defeat on an afternoon to forget for everyone associated with the Anfield club.
This time around though, hopes are high that deeds can match words – particularly after Tuesday night’s super show against Real Madrid.
Dutch duo Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt know just what a tall order it is to come up with any kind of victory against Manchester United, never mind an away win but they also believe should Liverpool hit the same heady heights they reached in their demolition of Madrid then they will give themselves an excellent chance of getting the result they crave.
“They are beatable”, insists Babel, who scored the winner when the two sides met at Anfield earlier this season.
“If we concentrate and play to our level then there is no reason why we can't beat Manchester United for a second time this season.
“It’s a game we have to win in terms of the title race. If we do that then hopefully our title chances will look different.
“After beating Real we will take a lot of confidence into the game.”
Critics will justifiably point to the fact that the last time Liverpool beat Real they followed it up with a shambolic display at Middlesbrough and the accompanying defeat put a massive dent in their hopes of winning the Premier League.
Two weeks on from that bleak day in the North East, Kuyt is hopeful that things will be different even though Alex Ferguson’s league leaders will be desperate to finish off their title dreams for another season.
He said: “We are very satisfied at making it through to the next round of the Champions League but it is also a very timely boost for our next game in the Premier League.
“If we can beat Real Madrid 4-0 at Anfield then at the very least we should have a chance on Saturday but we know it will be tough because Man United are a very good team who are challenging for a number of trophies.
“The first thing we have to do is to enjoy the win against Madrid, take the good things from that game and then we have to look ahead to the next match and try to get another good result.
“The confidence in the team is high at the moment as you would expect after such a good result in the Champions League.
“Everyone is talking about Madrid playing really badly but the win is also a great credit to our team because we worked really hard from the very start of the game and we deserved the result.”
As well as the afterglow of their midweek Champions League heroics, Kuyt is also looking back to events earlier in the campaign for inspiration.
Foremost in his mind are the results Liverpool have already earned against their fellow big four members, with the victory over United at Anfield being a particular cause for hope.
“In the last couple of seasons we haven’t done too well at Old Trafford so it is obviously time that we changed this,” he said.
“I think we have shown this season that whenever we have come up against big opponents we have managed to compete with them and have come up with some very good results.
“We managed to beat United at Anfield, we have beaten Chelsea at home and away and we have also managed to get a draw at Arsenal so hopefully we can do the same at Old Trafford.
“We know that a win is what we need and we also know that it will be very difficult to get the result that we are looking for but we will definitely be giving it a try.
The fact that United are yet to taste defeat at home this season shows what a tall order it is to win at Old Trafford and Kuyt acknowledges that the squad Alex Ferguson has put together has the kind of quality needed to challenge on all fronts.
The 28-year-old reluctantly admits that United could win a quintet of trophies this season but also believes that they could yet be derailed. He said: “They definitely have the quality but there is still a long way to go for them and a lot of games still to be played.
“If you look at the race for the title then obviously they have got a lot of points already and they have a good lead at the top of the table.
“This means that it will be difficult for ourselves and for Chelsea to catch them but it is football and you never know what might happen so you have to be prepared to fight to the death.
“Hopefully we can beat them and after that we will see how it is going.”
Asked which United players Liverpool need to be pay particular attention to, Kuyt issues an emphatic response – “all eleven!”
“But our job is to prepare for them in the time we have before the game and to make sure that we give everything to get the result that we are looking for.
“Another win would be great and if we are able to get that then we will see where we are afterwards.”
The belief is there, now Liverpool must go to Old Trafford and live up to their brave words.
Should they do so then their title dreams will not be extinguished and they could even be reignited.
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