Source: Manchester_EveningNews
Neville: Don't write Liverpool off
GARY Neville insists United cannot deliver a knockout punch to Liverpool's title ambitions on Sunday. Rafa Benitez's side are in the middle of a crisis in which their Premier League form has crashed and the domino effect saw the Kop witness a Champions League defeat against Lyon on Tuesday. The under-fire Scousers are on a bleak run of four defeats having lost away to Fiorentina in Europe followed by back-to-back league defeats against Chelsea and Sunderland before Lyon added to their woes. They have slid down the Premier League with a quartet of defeats in their nine opening matches. A side who only lost twice in the division last season and finished runners-up to the champions United have now slumped to eighth and are seven points behind Sir Alex Ferguson's leaders. United are bouncing into the showdown having won away in Moscow against CSKA and having the luxury of success in Russia while Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Darren Fletcher and Patrice Evra remained behind in Manchester. There is no love lost between Neville and Liverpool but the Reds captain doesn't believe it will be game over in the league for the Merseysiders if United triumph in front of the Kop. "We cannot knock them out of the title race and that is not an interest of ours," said Gary. "There are only nine games gone so it is far too early to talk about that. Any team in the top four is capable of going on and winning six or seven matches on the trot and being back in it. "If Liverpool did that they would be right back in it. Neville warning "They haven't had the best of starts but it is too early to write them off. "Liverpool may have beaten us twice in the league last season, but I wouldn't say we're looking for revenge. When the top teams play against each other, it seems to go through cycles and teams have good results and bad results. "We know that anything can happen in these kind of games, so the main thing is not losing. "The atmosphere in Liverpool-United games is great... if you're winning! "Obviously, the atmosphere at Anfield is great, and it's the same when they come to Old Trafford. "The first thing to try and do away from home is silence the crowd because the fans are passionate. "They are the best games to play football in, but also the hardest games to lose. "I don't get a great reception at Anfield I must say - I'm not their favourite son. No United players get a good reception at Anfield, but it's the same for their players at our ground, and it is to be expected. "I've never said I don't respect Liverpool. You have to respect a team that has been as successful as they have and has the history and tradition they have. "But I'm a United fan and the rivalry is well-documented. United fans want United to win and Liverpool to lose, and it's the same the other way. "The important thing for us is to just focus on our performance. We have recovered from the Burnley game and got into our stride well, though we could have had more points but for the Sunderland match, but we are only positioning ourselves at this moment. We are doing okay. "It was important going into the Liverpool game to have a clean sheet in Moscow. We are happy with that as defenders." United had a clean bill of health after their return from Russia and have been battling to get Wayne Rooney (calf) fit for Sunday's visit to Anfield. He is the biggest doubt of the quartet left behind while the Reds were on European duty but the England striker is expected to be fit to join Giggs, Fletcher and Evra to the squad that played CSKA. Will United beat Liverpool? Have your say.
