Gerrard and Sir Alex meet for peace talks

Steven Gerrard and Sir Alex Ferguson met in London yesterday for peace talks. Ferguson's autobiography released shortly after his retirement from Manchester United after 27 years, caused controversy after criticising a number of the games most high profile figures including his own players. Most notably, David Beckham.

The 72 year-old Scot also used his book to maintain his long held jealousy of his club's bitter rivals Liverpool FC. Wherein he said Jordan Henderson's gait would lead "to problems later in his career", and that Gerrard is now "not a top player". Both statements and many others were met with dismay from many greats in the game including Zinedine Zidane.

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Can The Reds turn the Theatre of Dreams into a nightmare?

Utd v LFC: The slave has become the master?

Brendan Rodgers and his resurgent Liverpool team travel to the wrong end of the East Lancashire Road on Sunday for what will be one hell of an encounter with the old enemy Manchester United. Can David Moyes' men put a halt to Rodgers' effervescent eleven, or will the Theatre of Dreams become a nightmare on Sir Matt Busby Way for the home side come 3.15 on the day?

It's certainly shaping up to be one of the games of the season so far. Not just because Liverpool have simply out performed United in every way so far this season, but also due to the history between the two clubs. Your average Manyoo fan must be spitting nails at the progress shown by LFC this term. From the point of view of a Liverpool supporter, I have to revel in the current achievements, or lack of, for both teams. 

The Merseysiders have gatecrashed the top-of-the-table party in spectacular style and along the way gained an army of admirers. Since the turn of the year they've remained unbeaten in nine Premiership games firing 29 goals past their opponents. In the process recording scorelines of 4-0, 5-1 and 0-3 against Everton, Arsenal and Southampton respectively. Fully deserving of the plaudits born from these performances. An average of 3.2 goals per game means you have to fancy the Reds for this one. Sir Alex Ferguson's noisy neighbours are now sounding an emphatic warning to all who stand before them.

Allied to that, there is clearly a new-found steel to Rodgers' men and a determination that is making them a very difficult team to turn over. Liverpool have not achieved their current level by any serendipitous means either. The planning, the purpose and the detail of Rodgers is plain to see and translating into firm results on the pitch. The work he's done in improving Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge, Jon Flanagan and Jordan Henderson among others, has been nothing short of astonishing.

On the other hand, their hosts have been nothing short of poor. And that's putting it mildly. Mathematically, United still have everything to play for. Realistically they're merely playing for pride. Since the turn of the year, they have managed only four wins in the nine games and mustered just 14 goals. Less than half the tally of Sunday's visitors and translating into an average of just 1.2 goals per game. Their biggest win being 0-3 against West Bromwich Albion in their last outing. The team have seemingly struggled to adapt to Moyes' requirements since he took over and one could argue his ousting of Sir Alex's successful back room staff may not have been his best move. With Robin Van Persie only netting 11 times this season and £37.1m record signing Juan Mata not exactly setting the world alight, the situation doesn't look like improving anytime soon.

There are however two positives for United. Firstly, Marouane Fellaini who has played in the last two matches and he now looks as if he's returning to the form that led Moyes to fork out £27.5m for him. It's no coincidence that United have looked stronger in, and won, these last two league matches with him in the side. Secondly, their defensive record is superior to Liverpool's which, let's be honest, isn't much too write home about. Conceding only nine goals since the turn of the year in as many matches against the visitors who's leaky back line shows 12 in the 'A' for Against column. A goal a game for Manyoo versus 1.3 for LFC.

This is shaping up to be a feisty encounter between these two giants and I can't wait until the ref blows for kick-off on Sunday at 1.30. The current situation for both teams could not be anymore opposite to how things have been in recent times. Should Liverpool come out on top, I think it'll give them the psychological edge over United, having been in their shadow for the best part of the last 25 years. Could this be the time for a change in the tide for the next 25 years? Who knows, but there's no time like the present to start and what better venue than in your biggest rival's back yard.

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Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never...

Brendan Rodgers: Fear not and Never give in

"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." The words of Sir Winston Churchill. 

After the weekend we've had, those are very apt words for Liverpool FC as we approach the last 10 games of the season. The final bend before the final furlong. The time to get the whip out and get the steed to focus on the line ahead. The final push where winners and losers are made. This season, contrary to Brendan Rodgers' claim of being the "Chihuahua" of the Premiership, I'd say they're more like the dark horse. The one that sneaks up on the outside to catch the favourites napping in their gallops of complacency. 

Nobody had expected the team to be where they are at the beginning of the season. Yes, we won the first three games 1-0. Yes, those first three games included that lot from the wrong end of the East Lancs Road. And, yes, "An improvement on last year's seventh place finish would do..." We all thought. Or qualification for European competition at best. Let's be honest, nobody foresaw this. Second with 10 games left to go and only four points off the leaders. Rodgers would have taken this quicker than a life boat on The Titanic if you'd offered him this at 2:45pm on 17th August last year. In truth, wouldn't we all. 

We come back to Churchill's words. "Never give in". The entire Liverpool squad now has to stand up and be counted. The odds remain against us, and indeed we're all pinching ourselves. I applaud the approach of Rodgers to the question of the title. Basically: Let's just keep on improving and maintaining the level we're at. The team has a new resolve this year. An attitude that epitomises the words of the great leader. Many a fixture this season, I'd have fancied us to lose given our recent history. Stoke away, Fulham away, Tottenham away and now Southampton at St. Mary's this weekend. All games the team would have done well to come away from with a draw in the not too distant past. 

Rodgers must be commended for the determination and steel the team has shown this season. Resolute has been the watchword for LFC this time round. With the exception of a couple of soft results away to Hull City and West Bromwich Albion. The team has shown steel in abundance to answer the questions that have been asked of them. Granted, the defence is still shy of what I'd expect from Champions elect, and I believe this will be the teams undoing in their efforts this season, but the performance on Saturday showed that the team can be on the ropes, take the body blows and still come out fighting. They never gave in. 

In the last two games against Fulham and Southampton, there was signs of nerves from the team but for me, they have absolutely nothing to lose and should approach each game as such. Be bold. The next game is against Manchester United at Old Trafford and you have to fancy Liverpool. United will be up for it, to put a stop to the racket coming from their so-called  noisy neighbours but I'm hoping the din will be too much for them to bear. 

Like any supporter of any Premiership side, I think Sir Alex Ferguson's departure was a massive gain for the rest of the league. And, a huge loss for United. Their demise has opened up the entire race and it's been the most enthralling for years. This time last year United we're 11 points clear at the top on 89. The year before they and Manchester City were a jaw-dropping 19 points ahead, tied on 89 points. Points do not equate to entertainment and I find the current state of fewer points at the top, 63 with a four point gap to second, more palatable than what's been served up this last couple of seasons. 

I've supported Liverpool for the best part of 40 years now and since the good times in the seventies and eighties, and the Champions League in 2005, there's not been that much to shout about if the old grey matter serves me right. The team has recently had a knack of getting so far, then catching Englandattheworldcupitis - I think it's called - and shooting themselves in the foot, just as they need to put said best foot forward. I daren't dream just yet. I'm just fluffing up the pillow!

So, some words of encouragement to everybody's favourite team over the next couple of months. Never, never, never give in. In the here and now, its totally clear, you have nothing to fear, but fear itself. 

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