Beckham: We'll make Liverpool pay

13 April 2012

David Beckham has warned Liverpool that Manchester United are desperate to avenge their humiliating defeat at Anfield in November when English football's fiercest foes meet at Old Trafford tonight.

The England captain was taken off during the 3-1 defeat on Merseyside that defender Phil Neville believed had cost United the title and prompted manager Sir Alex Ferguson to question his players' commitment.

Beckham said: 'The Liverpool game was a big defeat for us. Trust me, it's one of the worst feelings in football to lose to anyone, let alone to lose to one of your rivals. That was not a very nice feeling.'

Neville added: 'We said to ourselves then: "The title is beyond us?. It became embarrassing. We'd experienced low points before but that was as low as we had been during my time at the club. We were ninth or 10th in the League and could have gone 14 points behind Liverpool.

'We couldn't believe what was happening. It was like another team were playing in our place. We've got to remember what that felt like and make sure we don't go back. Sometimes you can use a bad run to fuel your ambitions to disprove people. But we'd got to the stage where there were too many defeats, too many things going wrong.'

Beckham, who struggled to get back into the side after being dropped during United's crisis period, said: 'I am a lot fresher than I was before I was left out. The back was a problem for a couple of games and then when we started winning, the manager couldn't change a winning team - rightly so. I had to work hard to get back in and then take my chance.'

Since losing to West Ham six weeks ago, United have turned their season around and if they exact retribution on stuttering Liverpool tonight they will complete a remarkable 19-point swing in their favour and extend their lead at the top of the Premiership to five points.

In contrast to United, Liverpool go into tonight's titanic fixture stuck in a miserable run that threatens to ruin not only their title bid but their entire season.

Saturday's 1-1 home draw with Southampton extended their dismal sequence to one Premiership win in nine games and the day back in December when they had the opportunity to go 14 points clear of United seems a long time ago.

United have not beaten Liverpool since September 1999 and have lost in their last four meetings. But they are firm favourites heading into tonight's game and Ferguson suggested that Liverpool will not be back to their best until his friend and rival Gerard Houllier returns to the dug-out.

The Anfield manager is still some way short of coming back after major heart surgery and Ferguson said: 'They'll be missing Gerard, no question.He doesn't know when he'll be back but he seems to be getting stronger.'

He added: 'This season looks like the mother of all Premiership contests. There's been a lot of bloodletting at the top and I think we're going to continue with this unpredictable scenario.'

Liverpool caretaker-manager Phil Thompson said: 'United are our inspiration. We are capable of putting together the same sort of run they have achieved.'

United hope to complete the signing of Uruguay striker Diego Forlan today when they receive the result of the 22-year-old's medical tests. Their pursuit of West Ham's Paolo Di Canio may also reach a conclusion this week, with the Italian saying last night: 'I don't think the signing of Forlan has much to do with it.' Sunderland are now favourites to beat Middlesbrough to sign Dwight Yorke.

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David Jones (Footballer)

Beckham: We'll make Liverpool pay

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