Rio Ferdinand insists Rafael Benitez's rant made little impact on Manchester United

13 March 2009 19:27
Manchester United v LiverpoolKick-off: Sat Mar 14, 12.45pm; Old Trafford, ManchesterTV: Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports HD1Radio: BBC Radio Five Live [LNB]But even if United stretch their advantage over Liverpool to 10 points, with a game in hand, at Old Trafford today, the mood in the champions' dressing room will be anything but one of gleeful finger-pointing in the direction of the Merseysiders' manager. [LNB] Related ArticlesUnited edit Rooney's 'hate' remarks[LNB]Wayne Rooney's wedding guests donate just £2,000 to struggling hospice[LNB]Plenty for Platini to like[LNB]Milan deny Mourinho assault claims[LNB]Sir Alex Ferguson and Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez reopen mind games[LNB]Manchester United v Liverpool: Game Zone[LNB]United, now firmly focused on completing the final three legs of a quintuple this season, have bigger fish to fry than Benitez and defender Rio Ferdinand insists that the Spaniard's ill-advised outburst has had little impact inside Old Trafford. [LNB]He said: "I don't think we can get interested in stuff like that until the end of the season, when the medals are given out. If we are the winners, then we can look back at things that happened during the season and what were the turning points of the season. [LNB]"But until then, you can't really say what has changed the title race. We've not won it yet, though, and until we have won it, you can't say it was a turning point. [LNB]"We have played consistently well since [the World Club Championship in] Japan, but that all counts for nothing if we lose two or three games before the end of the season and don't win the League. [LNB]"If we start saying it was that point of the season that turned it for us and we end up as runners-up or in third place then we would look pretty stupid."[LNB]Victory for United would leave the champions within touching distance of a third successive Premier League title. [LNB]Such an outcome would see them equal Liverpool's all-time English record tally of 18 domestic championships, but Ferdinand insists that United's motivation has little to do with rewriting the history books. [LNB]He said: "That is not the reason why I'm playing and not why I want to win on Saturday. I want to win because I want to win another title. [LNB]"The history, and stuff like that, you can talk about afterwards and other people will get off on it more than me, I'm sure." [LNB] 

Source: Telegraph