Rodgers In United Warning

With Sunday’s game in mind, the question on many people’s lips at the moment is whether or not Liverpool’s players, manager and, indeed, the fans have the nerve to last the distance.

Should Chelsea (or City) win all of their remaining games – or at least, match Liverpool’s results – then the Redmen can look at still exceeding expectations from the beginning of the season, when a push for the Champions League places was considered a realistic, if not a minimum, target.

However, currently sitting in 2^nd place, 7 points behind Chelsea with a game in hand, Liverpool are exceeding all expectations and are looking to push on against Manchester United on Sunday, where 3 points would send a very real signal to rivals Chelsea, City and Arsenal that Liverpool will not falter as the season draws into its’ final stages.

Speaking to the combined press, Brendan Rodgers was pressed on the issue of Champions League qualification this season, he said “We still have a lot of work to get in to the Champions League, but when you’re not in it, even though this club is a worldwide, monumental club, we found it difficult because the best players want to play in the best competitions.”

Knowing full-well the difficulties, both in terms of finances and competition, of managing a team without a place in Europe’s elite competition, Rodgers warned Manchester United manager David Moyes “Any club will suffer the same when they’re not in there. There is no doubt it will hurt you, but they (United) will know that.”

It seems preposterous to suggest that United have any hopes of qualifying for next season’s competition but with 10 games remaining there is still a mathematical chance that they could.

A win for Liverpool at Old Trafford tomorrow – or even a draw – and United’s hopes would all but die and, as Liverpool themselves, and many teams such as Leeds, Blackburn and Spurs have all found out, after getting used to the money and illustriousness of the competition even one season out of it could start a downward spiral that is often almost impossible to halt.