Top three face crucial tests (0)
- 9 Jan 09, 08:23 AM
There is only one thing worse than being talked about by Sir Alex Ferguson - and that is not being talked about by Sir Alex Ferguson.
So Liverpool's status as serious title contenders received the official rubber-stamp when Ferguson fired his first barb - a mild one by his own acerbic standards admittedly - in the direction of the Premier League leaders.
As a general rule, Ferguson ignores those who cannot harm Manchester United, so Rafael Benitez will have glowed with satisfaction when the old streetfighter.
And the pressure will turn up another notch for the main title protagonists this weekend when Liverpool face the intimidating test of a trip to Stoke City on Saturday and Manchester United meet Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday.
