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Has the bubble burst?
Published by Ian John on March 14, 2009
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Liverpool’s emphatic 4-1 victory at Old Trafford today has many a pundit scratching their head. The previously imperious United, whose previous nine league games were all victories and in their two previous games, they had comprehensively defeated Fulham 4-0 at Craven Cottage to move into the FA Cup Semi Finals, then followed that up on Wednesday night with a 2-0 victory over Italian champions Inter Milan, whose manager Jose Mourinho left Old Trafford with a bang (sadly in the face of a Manchester United fan, allegedly), had showed scant evidence in the past two months of collapsing so dramatically at Old Trafford.
What caused the sudden transformation in form? Was it a rampant Liverpool side? The Reds have been buoyed by a week that must rank as surely one of the best ever in the clubs history, barring only a major cup triumph. When your last two games read Liverpool 4 Real Madrid 0, Manchester United 1 Liverpool 4, then you know you’ve had a good week. Those kind of scorelines are only dreamed up by the most blinkered and ardent Liverpool fan who has lost all sense of reasoning and who, possibly, is also foaming at the mouth, married to his cousin and called Cleetus. I would liked to have had £5 on a win double on those scores last Saturday. I have a feeling had I have done so, I may have been able to bring the world out of the economic crisis singlehandedly. Certainly the Reds past two performances have been nothing short of sensational and every credit must go to Rafa Benitez’s men for the way they came back from a goal down. However it wasn’t a game where Liverpool dominated United comprehensively as they did Real Madrid. It was a game however where Liverpool scored goals at exactly the right time and where key decisions were given correctly by the referee, who had an equally outstanding game.
So while Liverpool played well, I don’t think that is the only reason for the result. Chris Waddle on BBC Radio Five Live stated that United should “put their feet up for a couple of days” as they looked tired. I’m sorry, but that doesn’t really wash with me. Given the squad United have, the fact that they can rotate in an entire substitute bench of internationals not to mention people sat in the stands like Darren Fletcher, Johnny Evans and Gary Neville, plus youngsters like Rodorigo Possebon, Danny Welbeck and Danny Gibson, just doesn’t ring true. Ferguson shuffles his team around often for cup matches so to claim they are tired given the options they have seems a little weak to be honest. Burnley racked up their 50th game this week in all competitions and their squad is nowhere near as big.
The reason United lost is perfectly simple. For 90 minutes they were put to the sword by a team that took the opportunities it had against them. They weren’t hammered in the sense of being outplayed. Outscored, out-thought and at times out-played yes. But outclassed? No. Not even close. The bubble has by no means burst whatsoever. They hold a four point lead, with a game in hand and to be honest that should be plenty for them to win the title anyway. Liverpool did not win luckily. They earned their win. But to suggest that the title race is “now back on” is well wide of the mark. Two more quick defeats for United, and then maybe it will be. But when was the last time United lost three games so close together? Can you remember? I can’t.
No, Liverpool can bask in the glow of a fantastic victory at Old Trafford, they can reflect that they have taken 12 points off Chelsea and United this season. But the facts is that they are still well short in the title race because the consistency is still not there. That is what United still have going for them. They will bounce back from this setback I have no doubt. The door leading to the title may still be ajar for Liverpool, but it is far from wide open and United still have their hands firmly on the lock and this victory will count for nothing for Liverpool if they cannot stop United’s seeming dominance of every competition. I think any Reds fan would trade this win for a victory in the League, or more likely, the Champions League.
On a different track, two of the five best players showed their merits today with goals and outstanding performances. Take a bow Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. Oh I know I got some stick from saying Gerrard was on a par with Messi, Kaka and Ronaldo in another article, but old Zinedine Zidane agrees with me, and he knows a thing or two about the game in my book. 
Picture Credit : **Eurocopa2008** on Flickr.com
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scalz1 on Sat, 14th Mar 2009 2:14 pm
Being a Reds supporter, these last 2 matches took me completely by surprise. If you would have told me last week that Liverpool would put 8 goals on Man U and Real, I would have laughed. This is the Liverpool everyone has always thought they would be. The side that Torres and Gerrard deserve to have with them. I for one, am excited.
Nabyl Charania on Sat, 14th Mar 2009 2:42 pm
Liverpool managed to play at the same tempo as they did against Real and Man U never quite got in the game, going to ma,e for an interesting finish to the EPL finally!
Al-Nashir Charania on Sat, 14th Mar 2009 6:09 pm
Here’s how it stands: ManUtd 4 points ahead, with a game in hand (against Portsmouth!). 10 games to go, home games against Arsenal and Aston Villa, no more top 8 or so teams to play; me thinks the EPL title’s in the bag.
In the FA Cup semi’s against Everton, having avoided Chelsea/Arsenal, me think’s a ManUtd v. Chelsea final. Tough call, but hey! in the final of the largest domestic cup in the world, you’re gonna have to meet and beat one of the top four to win it!
In the quarter’s of Champions League, and have got a sneaky feeling ManUtd will end up playing either Liverpool or Bayern (you heard it here first!); me thinks if it’s Liverpool, you’ll be sure to see the real ManUtd expose Rafa’s in his ‘playground’. Bayern will be a tough one, but expect the media war on Ribery to put him off and a Bayern loss. On to the semi’s!
So, you see, where’s the panic?