Return Of The Ghost

Build up to the Liverpool game continues, with Sir Alex's press conference centre stage, though it's not one of his classics, on Benitez he has merely this to say:

"I'm not going into that at all," he said, "I'm not going to make you some headlines"

Points out how referees are kind to Liverpool at Anfield:

Sir Alex Ferguson has declared ahead of Manchester United's visit to Liverpool that his side have had a disproportionately high number of players sent off at Anfield – a product, he believes, of the effect of the highly charged atmosphere on referees.

"I know we've had a lot of players sent off there," said Ferguson...

"Referees can find it difficult when Anfield is charged up – like it will be on Sunday." There have been five red cards in the past 11 visits.

On Owen's return to Anfield:

“I think he has summed it up himself – he is at Manchester United now.

“He had some great years at Liverpool and it will be interesting to see what reaction he gets of course.

There are very few players who have played for both clubs and Paul Ince always got a bad reception from our fans when he went to Liverpool and Michael might get that again on Sunday.

“He had 10 or 11 years, something like that at Liverpool. So it will be difficult to say what kind of reception he will get.

“Everybody likes to be liked but I don’t think it will bother him.”

The Guardian has a feature on Owen's return, including this:

At United, meanwhile, not even a 97th-minute winner against Manchester City has persuaded the fans to chant Owen's name yet. Tomorrow, you might imagine, would be a good place to start, but don't count on it. Instead, United's fans are more concerned about smuggling beach balls into the away stands. Or celebrating the Kop's banner when Ferguson took them to Merseyside after his first league title: "Au revoir Cantona come back when you've won 18." The Red News fanzine has even been giving away a Cantona face-mask.

"I think many Reds put Owen's signing down to the ways of modern football, where nothing really can surprise anymore," its writer Pete Shaw explains. "A bit of indigestion, then you swallow it down and just accept it. As one Red said after his goal against City: 'I suppose this means Owen isn't a shit anymore?' That doesn't mean United fans will be singing his name to the rafters – though he was well received when coming off against Bolton last week – but we just deal with it. It would drive you round the bend thinking about his past too much."

The Independent have a load of ex-Liverpool players commenting on Owen's return. I won't bother quoting...

The Sun has an interview with Rooney:

"It's funny because as soon as we got beaten at Burnley, people came out saying 'we're not as good as last season, we won't win the title, we'll be lucky to finish in the top four' and all that.

"It was laughable, we'd only lost one game. But then they've done it the last three seasons when we've won the league - the next season they've been straight out saying Chelsea are the favourites. I think because of United's dominance over the last couple of decades, a lot of people like to see us lose. We just have to get on with it."

Vidic with some comment:

"It was unusual to lose 4-1 at home," said Vidic. "I made some mistakes personally and so did the team. But it's in the past.

"Of course it bothered me. When you make mistakes, especially in such a high-profile game, you always go through a hard time. But I got through it.

"Players who play football make mistakes. Only players who don't play never make mistakes. So it happens and it happened to me." ...

"I've been here three-and-a-half years," said Vidic. "If I need one game to prove whether or not I'm a good player, then I clearly haven't achieved much in England.

"As well as that bad game, I can also remember having played some good games for United.

"It was just a bad day, that's all. You must remember, I played two games against Torres before that and he didn't score."

And finally Nani:

"To win at Anfield and leave them 10 points behind us would be such a shattering blow for Liverpool - but that's what we want to do.

"We remember losing 4-1 to them at Old Trafford last season and this is the best moment for us to show the other side of the coin.

"It's a great chance for us to gain revenge and to show everyone we are the Premier League champions.

"And while the pressure is on Liverpool, for many reasons, we go to Anfield with no nerves.

"United are playing with a very positive rhythm at the moment and we want to satisfy our supporters."