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| GUEST COLUMN : DAVID FAIRCLOUGH |
FAIRCLOUGH: EVERTON OR UNITED?
David Fairclough
20 March 2008
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The mouthwatering prospect of meeting our two biggest rivals in the space of a week only helps to confirm the fact we're now at the business end of the season.
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On the back of their recent run of great results the Reds go into this key phase of the season full of confidence and eager to deliver the remaining targets now sitting in front of them.
Considering the form we're in, it's probably not surprising to hear fans talk of what could have been had our form been more consistent, particularly around the turn of the year. Like a lot of fans, a couple of weeks ago I would have been happy to accept fourth place, but after our recent wins there has been a new wave of optimism and hope that we could muscle in on the top three.
With a visit to Arsenal after we entertain Everton at Anfield, the outcome of the next three league results will either add a surprising twist to this year's Premier League race or savagely end any romantic notions the Reds may still harbour.
Like many I believe this time we travel to Old Trafford with real hopes of taking something from the game, meaning the Reds are set to play a major role in the destination of this year's Premier League title. Other than enjoying our own successes, nothing much else gives Liverpudlians greater pleasure than inflicting some hardship on United's chances of glory.
Despite the fact we haven't inflicted a league defeat on United since Rafa arrived at Anfield, there has been little to split the sides in that time. The main difference though has definitely been the ability to take goal chances. Here the Reds have failed miserably.
Games between these two rarely produce loads of goals and the most recent have only been decided by the odd slip up, where United have taken full advantage of the opportunities that have fallen to them – we've lacked a similar killer instinct.
This time though we have the deadliest striker in Europe on our side. We know if the chance falls to Fernando Torres he is more than capable of taking his opportunity. That confidence now runs through the body of the team. Not since Michael Owen have we had a player in the ranks that gives you the confidence of knowing that, in the biggest of games, we have someone capable of delivering the cutting edge.
That exact type of ability has certainly been missing from Liverpool sides on our recent visits to Old Trafford, and though we can't afford to pin all our hopes on him at the moment, it's nice to know he's in such outstanding form. The feel-good factor will play a significant part in the Reds' preparations for the trip to Manchester. With a good run of results behind us and the team scoring goals, this is our best possibility of winning there for years.
The look of confidence that ran throughout the Reds in the early part of the season has certainly returned and not just in attack. Over the last couple of weeks one or two players who had previously been lacking form have suddenly rediscovered their old spark.
With so much at stake, this fixture invariably fails to live up to the build up, but with Rafa having had a clear week to prepare for this game you would hope the Reds are perfectly in shape - unlike United, who have had a midweek fixture to squeeze in.
A win at the weekend would be the ideal preparation for the Merseyside derby that follows.
With the games coming back to back, it's perhaps an ideal time to assess which opponent, or rather victory over which opponent, means more to the fans.
Given the fact we need to secure at least fourth spot, perhaps in this instance it's easy to say the Everton game is more crucial. But asked anytime which team I would rather beat, I would still always choose our closest neighbours.
Brought up on the Liverpool/Everton rivalry, they were always the team to beat for me. For as long as I can remember the derby game was always the first fixture I looked for at the start of the season. Growing up playing football in the streets with my mates, it was always Red versus Blue. United never figured in the equation.
We've always been keen rivals but as far as I can remember this enmity between us and United seemed to increase in the mid-80s with Alex Ferguson's arrival in Manchester and subsequently their success in the new Premier League.
So for the younger Reds supporter who has probably never seen Everton hold the upper hand over us, United might seem the obvious main rival. But watching Bill Shankly's teams as a kid battle to claim the top dog title in the city in the 60s, well for me it's still hard to beat the bragging rights you hold after a derby day win over our Stanley Park neighbours. The fact we've held the balance of power over Everton for much of the last 20 years probably means some take that domination for granted.
But there is something different about a Mersey derby: invariably played at a faster pace, there is generally more to enjoy about them other than the result when you win.
I know in my own case - having been lucky enough to score against both Everton and Man Utd – that the goal I scored against Everton was that bit more special. It was a dream come true. Though at that time games against United were no less keenly fought, there didn't seem to be quite the same fan rivalry as there is today.
Depending on what we take out of Sunday's game, the derby match is set to be a vital fixture. The Blues were full of confidence in the weeks prior to their Fiorentina defeat but the loss at Fulham exposed a vulnerability which could threaten their claims of taking the coveted fourth place. Defensively they looked stretched and once asked to hit back they looked short of options with their thinner squad.
Normally form is no real guide going into a derby. It normally boils down to application on the day, but if the Reds can continue their good run with a win at Old Trafford, Everton will have to find their best form for the visit to Anfield.
Get these two key games out of the way and we have the strange prospect of meeting Arsenal three times in seven days, never the ideal situation. It will take a special effort to come out of this run of five games with all hopes still intact.
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