UNITED DON'T FRIGHTEN US
LIVERPOOL STAR TAUNTS THE CHAMPS Carragher: If we finish ahead of Chelsea we'll win the title
Simon Mullock 29/07/2007
Jamie CARRAGHER has cranked up the bitter rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United by claiming Chelsea will be the team to beat in the title race.
The Liverpool defender insists Jose Mourinho's men pose the biggest threat to the Merseysiders' bid to take the championship to Anfield for the first time in 18 years.
There is already tension between the two north-west adversaries over United's refusal to allow Gabriel Heinze to move to Anfield.
And Carragher said: "United are the champions but I still think the team who finishes above Chelsea will win it.
"I think Chelsea are really the ones you have to see as the yardstick. With Petr Cech back - he is a top goalkeeper - and John Terry fit again they are going to be a fantastic side.
"United are a great side, of course. They won the title and will be in the mix this time because they have strengthened again. But I do feel Chelsea are really the team to beat if you want to win the league."
Rafa Benitez has spent close on £50million strengthening his squad after Liverpool finished 21 points behind United last season. Most has been spent on forwards like Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel, while Ukrainian striker Andriy Voronin arrived on a Bosman. Carragher said: "We're hoping the new signings will bring us the goals we have lacked in recent seasons, but you never know until the season starts.
"The manager has created a solid team over the past two or three years. The next step is to take it that little bit further and score the goals that Manchester United and Chelsea do.
"We have spent a few quid in the summer to try to do that.
"It's obvious why the manager has spent money where he has. If it had been the other way round, and we were scoring a lot of goals and were conceding a lot, the manager would have bought defenders. It's there to see.
"We have great confidence in the players he has brought in, they have looked very good in training."
Last season the Reds never recovered after a stuttering start left them well off the pace set by United and Chelsea.
And Carragher acknowledged that the longer Liverpool's quest for the title sretches, the more pressure it puts on the players.
He said: "I've never known a squad as strong here. Every position has two international players and there's going to be some tough decisions for the manager.
"The way Manchester United and Chelsea have started the last couple of seasons, being realistic about it we were probably out of the league after 10 games.
"They win virtually every week so if you fall behind it's hard to claw it back."
He added: "We haven't really been able to get back to the top where we belong and I know it's a big source of frustration to the fans.
"We have done well in the last seven or eight years by winning a lot of trophies, but we should have done better in the League.
"Manchester United overtook us at the right time in the 1990s with the Premiership starting and all the money involved, and it got even more difficult for us with Chelsea coming up.
"I am 29 and won't have long left. The next three or four years will fly by, so I definitely want to get my hands on it."
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LIVERPOOL STAR TAUNTS THE CHAMPS Carragher: If we finish ahead of Chelsea we'll win the title
Simon Mullock 29/07/2007
Jamie CARRAGHER has cranked up the bitter rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United by claiming Chelsea will be the team to beat in the title race.
The Liverpool defender insists Jose Mourinho's men pose the biggest threat to the Merseysiders' bid to take the championship to Anfield for the first time in 18 years.
There is already tension between the two north-west adversaries over United's refusal to allow Gabriel Heinze to move to Anfield.
And Carragher said: "United are the champions but I still think the team who finishes above Chelsea will win it.
"I think Chelsea are really the ones you have to see as the yardstick. With Petr Cech back - he is a top goalkeeper - and John Terry fit again they are going to be a fantastic side.
"United are a great side, of course. They won the title and will be in the mix this time because they have strengthened again. But I do feel Chelsea are really the team to beat if you want to win the league."
Rafa Benitez has spent close on £50million strengthening his squad after Liverpool finished 21 points behind United last season. Most has been spent on forwards like Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel, while Ukrainian striker Andriy Voronin arrived on a Bosman. Carragher said: "We're hoping the new signings will bring us the goals we have lacked in recent seasons, but you never know until the season starts.
"The manager has created a solid team over the past two or three years. The next step is to take it that little bit further and score the goals that Manchester United and Chelsea do.
"We have spent a few quid in the summer to try to do that.
"It's obvious why the manager has spent money where he has. If it had been the other way round, and we were scoring a lot of goals and were conceding a lot, the manager would have bought defenders. It's there to see.
"We have great confidence in the players he has brought in, they have looked very good in training."
Last season the Reds never recovered after a stuttering start left them well off the pace set by United and Chelsea.
And Carragher acknowledged that the longer Liverpool's quest for the title sretches, the more pressure it puts on the players.
He said: "I've never known a squad as strong here. Every position has two international players and there's going to be some tough decisions for the manager.
"The way Manchester United and Chelsea have started the last couple of seasons, being realistic about it we were probably out of the league after 10 games.
"They win virtually every week so if you fall behind it's hard to claw it back."
He added: "We haven't really been able to get back to the top where we belong and I know it's a big source of frustration to the fans.
"We have done well in the last seven or eight years by winning a lot of trophies, but we should have done better in the League.
"Manchester United overtook us at the right time in the 1990s with the Premiership starting and all the money involved, and it got even more difficult for us with Chelsea coming up.
"I am 29 and won't have long left. The next three or four years will fly by, so I definitely want to get my hands on it."
Linky
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