Or as New Order once sang ‘In a lonely place’.
Much has been made of Rafa Benitez’s so-called rant against Alex Ferguson. Of course, Benitez is correct for the most part but the most amusing part was when he pulled out a sheet of A4 with the charge sheet.
Benitez is pretty new to this game and he would have been better advised to speak out after Liverpool had won 4-0 extending their lead and avoiding the use of the phrase ‘mind games’ - particularly when he’s not getting involved in them. Supposedly.
Instead, look at Liverpool’s performance and result at the weekend (stuttering 0-0 draw at Stoke) and compare and contrast with United’s performance (convincing 3-0 win over Chelsea). Now who looks an idiot ?
Of course, Alex Ferguson’s just as bad - he is similarly obsessive and keeps his own little black books. When asked for his reaction to Benitez’s press conference, he also rose to the bait, claiming Benitez was ‘disturbed’ and you had to ignore the ‘venom’.
How much better would a simple reply of ‘You know what - I poured out another glass of red wine, sat back and just smiled’ ?
Anyway, to yesterday’s game and Jamie Carragher. He looked decidedly uncomfortable being asked about United’s best performance of the season and he looked distinctly uneasy when asked about Benitez’s quotes but what do you expect ?
Would Gary Neville have taken money to go to Anfield to be a pundit on a crucial Liverpool game and run the risk of having to awkwardly praise his hated rivals ? I sincerely doubt it.
Anyway, the most telling remark was when Liverpool’s vice-captain was asked: ‘So you think Liverpool will be involved in the final weeks to decide the Championship ?’
A easy, weak, typically banal question to close the show. Jamie Carragher just needed to say ‘Yeah - we are top. We are playing well. We have the points on the board. Games in hand don’t always mean points. We have already beaten United and Chelsea and they all have to catch us.’
But he didn’t. He said:
‘Yes. Hopefully.’
Will this prove to be Carragher’’s Gallas moment ?