Especially when you look what the more senior journalist has written on the same day !!
Gerrard states case for Liverpool's title ambition By Oliver Kay NOSES were put out of joint at Highbury and Old Trafford when Peter Kenyon, the Chelsea chief executive, ventured with a crafty wink that this season's Barclays Premiership title winners would come from "a select group of one", but it is causing even greater vexation at Anfield when it is suggested that Arsenal and Manchester United will join the London club as the runners in a three-horse race.
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In addition to winning the European Super Cup, Liverpool have made a strong start to their defence of the European Cup title and to the new Premiership campaign, in which they have not conceded a goal in their first three matches. However, they go into their match against United at Anfield tomorrow with their title credentials so far ignored and hoping that a victory over their bitterest rivals will force people, not least some of their rivals, to sit up and take notice.
"Domestically, people only ever speak about (last season's) top three teams and I'm sick of hearing that," Steven Gerrard, the Liverpool captain, said yesterday. "The league was very disappointing last season, but we're desperate to show we're improving and make sure that Liverpool gets a mention whenever people talk about the title and not just pbutted by. It hurts when people talk about Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal all the time and we don't get a mention.
"We need to break up the so-called top three. We have to prove we can get among them. We're playing United on Sunday and we've got games against Chelsea coming up so these next few weeks will give us a chance to make a statement. (United) is a big game, one of the biggest of the season. You always love playing in matches like that."
That is one reason why Gerrard accepted Rafael Ben'tez's decision to omit him from the starting line-up for the Champions League match away to Real Betis on Tuesday. Gerrard was less understanding on the rare occasions that he was rested last season but now, with the signings of Mohammed Sissoko and Boudewijn Zenden having improved the quality of cover in the midfield positions, he believes that Liverpool have the players they need in order to compete on all fronts.
"We have the makings of a decent squad here now," Gerrard said. "The reason the manager has worked so hard to develop the squad is so that he can have more options throughout the season. The fact he was able to rest me and a few other players and still get a win on Tuesday shows that we have moved on as a team from last season.
"We won the European Cup last season, but we didn't have depth to the squad and the manager couldn't rest players when he felt he needed to. Now we have more of an opportunity to do that. It means he can keep players fresh. Ask me and I'll say I want to play, but also that we all recognise the need to be fresh and at the top of your game."
