United 3 - 2 Pool / Fergie: I never called Torres a cheat

• zocoss

  14 Sep 10, 22:12

  Fernando Torres: Liverpool want to beat Manchester United for our fans

  • Spaniard primed for visit to Old Trafford on Sunday
  • Torres pinpoints Wayne Rooney as United's main threat

   

  Fernando Torres scored Liverpool's first goal when they beat Manchester United 4-1 at Old Trafford in March 2009. Photograph: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

   

   

   

   

  Manchester United vs Liverpool

   

  Sunday, 19 September 2010

  Mio Channel 102 / 110:  8:30 pm  -  (Live) 

   

   

   

  Fernando Torres has recognised the importance to Liverpool supporters of a victory over Manchester United ahead of the Merseyside club's visit to Old Trafford this weekend.

   

  Liverpool have had an indifferent start to the new season, winning one, losing one and drawing two of their opening four matches, the most recent being the goalless draw at Birmingham City on Sunday. But Torres knows that beating United will ignite their campaign.

  "It means everything to them," the Spain striker said. "We are the two most successful teams in England but it has not been nice for the Liverpool fans to watch Manchester United have so much success over the recent years. We have a great squad and a great manager, and we really hope to give the fans a trophy this season, as well as beating Manchester United for them.

  "The Liverpool fans are great, when you play well they are behind you and when you are not playing the best they are still behind you. I walk my dogs round the city, and before matches like Manchester United the fans will tell you good luck and things like that. It's clear how much the Manchester United games means to them."

  Liverpool's last win at Old Trafford was the stunning 4-1 rout of March 2009.

  "Nobody ever really wins at Old Trafford and beating Manchester United 4-1 on their own ground is practically unheard of," added Torres, who scored Liverpool's first on that day after they had fallen behind to a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty. "To this day I think that has to be one of my favourite days wearing the Liverpool shirt."

  Ahead of Sunday's game, Torres has pinpointed Wayne Rooney as United's biggest threat. "They [United] have some amazing players, but I think Wayne Rooney is their stand out player," said Torres in BBC's Match of the Day magazine. "Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs have had great starts to the season though, and if they were still in the 20's then I don't think my decision would be quite so easy.

  "I really like Wayne Rooney, I think he is a great player and a funny guy, so we usually have a little chat at the end of the game."

• Medicated Oil

  14 Sep 10, 22:45

  Unless the midfield can hold the veterans of man utd, Liverpool is looking to lose this match.

  The midfield is too soft judging from the past few matches.

  I am not sure whether Ah Roy would put up a strong enough team to fend off the devils.

  Liverpool, have the players to make it in my opinion, but I am not sure Ah Roy is brave enough to field a hard core team.

• Rooney9

  15 Sep 10, 01:59

  just dun play that gary neville. and pls sub the oldies late in the game, as they really cannot last the whole match.

• jgho83

  15 Sep 10, 02:15

  I sapport United but my betting money is going to back Liverpool for a draw or a Liverpool win.

  Torres being the man to own Vidic again.

• dragg

  15 Sep 10, 09:22

  both teams arent in form. 

  so it could go either way.

   

• MANCHESTER UNITED FC

  17 Sep 10, 15:39

  MAN UTD TO SLAUGHTER LIVERPOOL AGAIN

• Rooney9

  17 Sep 10, 23:38

  its at old trafford so I fancied united to beat liverpool.

• MANCHESTER UNITED FC

  18 Sep 10, 11:43

  trashing game for liverpool

• zocoss

  19 Sep 10, 12:44

   

   

  

  BEST OF ENEMIES ... Rafa Benitez and Alex Ferguson

   

   

   

  ALEX FERGUSON has aimed a parting shot at his old sparring partner Rafa Benitez ahead of tomorrow's showdown with Liverpool.

  And Manchester United boss Fergie blamed the new Inter Milan chief for making their feud personal during his six years at Anfield.

  Asked about Liverpool's financial woes, he said: "In the last regime they spent a lot of money on players, far more than Manchester United did.

  "They had a huge squad of players so I don't know if that's anything to do with it."

  The bad blood between the pair peaked with the Spaniard's infamous 'fact' rant in January 2009.

  But Fergie said: "I've never been personal. You have to examine him, not me.

  "I've always enjoyed a good relationship with Liverpool managers.That changed under the last regime."

• zocoss

  19 Sep 10, 12:48

  Hodgson We Can Shock United

   

  

   

   

   

  ROY HODGSON has dubbed tomorrow's Old Trafford clash as the killer game to end them all - and for once he aims to be firing the bullets.

  The Liverpool chief knows all about fierce rivalries from his time at Inter Milan and they were not happy experiences.

  While the Manchester and Merseyside derbies are all about bragging rights, the real feeling these days tends to come from United and Liverpool showdowns.

  It was the same story in Serie A, where the Milan derby played second fiddle to Inter's games against Juventus.

  Hodgson managed just one point from four clashes with Juve - and is desperate to taste success in the Premier League's equivalent.

  He admitted: "The Milan derby was big but the 'derby d'Italia', Inter v Juventus, was the real killer one that grabbed the imagination and this certainly compares with that.

  "I relished them and no doubt will feel the same about this game but I'm hoping I'll have a better record than in Italy.

  "Like the rivalry this weekend, they are not games you want to lose. Ever.

  "On Sunday, I'd like to say my record in the big game is quite good thank you!"

• Y_Shun

  19 Sep 10, 17:39

  Man Utd still got the home advantage.

• zocoss

  19 Sep 10, 18:10

  Liverpool rested almost their full team in mid-week for this match... So I guess they will be going all out for this...
• Steven.Jialat

  19 Sep 10, 20:06

  Liverpool can.

• zocoss

  19 Sep 10, 22:46

  Manchester United 3 Liverpool 2: Stunning Berbatov hat-trick rescues United after they let two-goal lead slip
  

   

  

  Money well spent: Dimitar Berbatov's first Manchester United hat-trick helped down Liverpool

   

  A spectacular acrobatic goal sandwiched by two towering headers from Dimitar Berbatov helped settle a pulsating match at Old Trafford this afternoon.

  His stunning bicycle kick on the hour was almost overshadowed by the sheer drama of the match as Manchester United threw away a two-goal lead for the second week in a row.

  But the Bulgarian was on hand to head home the decisive goal from a John O'Shea cross in the closing stages.

  Berbatov broke the deadlock just before half-time from a corner and then doubled United's lead with a wonderful acrobatic effort that nestled in the Liverpool net via the crossbar.

  But when it seemed Sir Alex Ferguson was certain to get one over on the old enemy, Fernando Torres, largely anonymous until the 63rd minute, was felled by Jonny Evans in the box. 

   

   

  

  Stunning: Berbatov's acrobatic second was a contender for goal of the season

   

   

  Steven Gerrard made no mistake from the spot. The England skipper doubled his haul seven minutes later with a free-kick after O'Shea had cynically tripped Torres on the edge of the box. In truth, the Irishman was lucky not to see red.

  Berbatov becomes the first United player to score a hat-trick against Liverpool since Stan Pearson in 1946.

  

  Comeback: Steven Gerrard scored from the spot (above) and then with a free-kick (below) just seven minutes apart

  

   

   

  

  Heads above the rest: Berbatov rises above Carragher to head his third of the game

   

• dragg

  19 Sep 10, 22:52

  fletcher should have been off.

  nani should stop exaggerating.  he is behaving like ronaldo.

   

• Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1)

  19 Sep 10, 22:54

  Nani acting fail

   

  until Agger kpkb

• omgukilledkenny

  19 Sep 10, 22:56

  Originally posted by dragg:

  fletcher should have been off.

  nani should stop exaggerating.  he is behaving like ronaldo.

   

  fletcher? or you meant o'shea?

• dragg

  19 Sep 10, 22:59

  Originally posted by omgukilledkenny:

  fletcher? or you meant o'shea?

  the one who brought about the free kick that led to the 2nd equalizer.

   

• zocoss

  20 Sep 10, 00:05

   

   

   

   

   

  Sir Alex Ferguson delighted with Dimitar Berbatov after hat-trick

  • United manager says he always had faith in Berbatov
  • Hodgson disappointed Liverpool failed to hold on

   

   

   

  

  Dimitar Berbatov celebrates scoring for Manchester United against Liverpool. Photograph: John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images

   

   

   

  Sir Alex Ferguson praised Dimitar Berbatov after the striker's hat-trick, his first for the club, gave Manchester United victory over Liverpool. The Bulgarian has performed well in short periods since his £30m move from Tottenham Hotspur in 2008, but Ferguson said he always had faith in the striker.

  Berbatov had opened the scoring with a header from Ryan Giggs's corner, before doubling United's lead with a brilliant overhead kick. However it seemed Liverpool would escape with a point after drawing level through a penalty and a free-kick from Steven Gerrard, only for Berbatov to seal his hat-trick with an 84th minute header, his sixth goal of the season.

  "It was unexpected, a surprise attempt," Ferguson said of Berbatov's brilliant second goal. "Not many of those go in the net but fortunately it did this time.

  "There was a lot of criticism of him last season from the media – it happens when we buy someone for a lot of money, that's the way of the world.

  "But this season he has started off in the right fashion. He was good in pre-season and on tour and has carried it on. There has never been any doubt about the quality of the man."

   

   

  

  Dimitar Berbatov seals the win and his hat-trick 

   

  Ferguson admitted he feared United would end up with only a point from today's game after they had thrown away a two-goal lead for the second week in a row. Last Saturday United had held a 3-1 lead at Everton well into stoppage time, and somehow ended up drawing 3-3.

  "From thinking to myself 'it's going to be 10' we ended up at 2-2," said Ferguson. "It was a travesty of a scoreline then – but a great result at the end.

  Ferguson also revealed Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand, who was left out, have been suffering from a sickness bug. "Ryan was ill at half-time and was feeling really queasy," he added. "Rio was the same last night, so we hope it's not going to spread." 

   

  

   

  Liverpool's manager, Roy Hodgson, revealed his disappointment that his side had left Old Trafford with nothing after a spirited fightback in the second half.

  "I thought our second half performance was good and we deserved to get back in the game," said Hodgson. "I think we were a bit unlucky to go two down when we did – and of course to concede late on was tough.

  "We're disappointed but otherwise I thought we made a really good effort in the second half to get back in the game. Had we had a little bit more composure at the end maybe we'd have seen the game out.

  "In the first half I don't think the front players received that many balls they could deal with, more because of good defending than anything else. But then the game opened up and there was more excitement for the fans in the second half."

• sand king

  20 Sep 10, 07:10

  Wasn't United's game- But it was surly Berbatov's day!

• TIB657M

  20 Sep 10, 07:33

  Man U finally get their win in order to keep track with goal machine Chelsea. If Man U draw again last night, say bye bye to BPL liao. With this win, Man U can continue to pressurize Chelsea. Chelsea's opponent is Man City & Man U's opponent is Man City. So, expect to see 1st time Man U shorten the gap with Chelsea next week.

• zocoss

  20 Sep 10, 10:38

  

  

  Send him off! Torres wants Howard Webb to show O'Shea a red card

   

   

  TROUBLE ... ref Howard Webb books John O'Shea as Fernando Torres states his case

  ALEX FERGUSON last night branded Fernando Torres a cheat.

  Manchester United's John O'Shea escaped calls for a red card after bringing down the Liverpool hitman during yesterday's pulsating clash.

  Following United's 3-2 win, boss Fergie fumed: "I have watched it again and Torres made an absolute meal of it to try and get the player sent off."

  Roy Hodgson, the Liverpool manager — whose side have won just once in their first five league games — refused to be drawn on the matter, suggesting he hadn’t had a clear view of the incident.

  He said: ‘Some of my coaches were jumping up and down but I didn’t have a great view. Sir Alex was closer to it. but I must say I didn't think the player should have been sent off."

  'I thought the referee had a good game. Sir Alex is entitled to his opinion but I prefer to talk about things that interest me. I am not a fan of game saying.

  United were cruising at 2-0 up thanks to Dimitar Berbatov's double strike.

  But after 64 minutes Torres was fouled by Jonny Evans to earn a penalty, which Steven Gerrard knocked in.

  Six minutes later Torres went down under O'Shea's challenge on the edge of the area - earning the United man a booking - and Gerrard scored from the free kick.

  But Berbatov completed his hat-trick in the 84th minute to give United a thrilling victory.

• stellazio

  20 Sep 10, 17:50

  im surprised that he can use the term "make a meal" and not mentioned nani in the same breath.

• Cristiano@Red_Devils.com

  20 Sep 10, 18:42

  Torres should be booked for gesturing to officials to book / send off opposing players.

  Nani should cut down on play acting too, before he makes himself more foes.

• omgukilledkenny

  20 Sep 10, 19:00

  I was watching the A.Madrid vs Barca match, the whole Barca team also liked to wave the imaginary card, including Messi.