Rival hopeful after champ’s poor game

Agence France-Presse

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Despite Liverpool's stunning 4-1 win over an uncharacteristically error-prone Manchester United at Old Trafford Saturday, United remains master of its own destiny with a four-pont lead and a game in hand providing a substantial margin for error over the next two months.

Benitez described himself as "optimistic but realistic" about the chances of United's stumbling before the finishing line, but a nine-match winning streak down the final stretch certainly does not look beyond his side after what was an unforgettable week for Liverpool fans.

Response the only answer

For United, the task of wiping out the memory of what their manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, described ruefully as "one of those days," begins this coming Saturday at Fulham, who were unable to live with the champions when the two sides met in the FA Cup earlier this month.

Ferguson insisted there was no need to panic.

"It was a bad day in terms of the goals we lost but I couldn't argue with the quality of play that much," the Scot said. "One or two players were a little bit short in terms of what we expect of them but I do know the football was good, we kept driving on and they showed good energy, even though we only had two and a half days to prepare for the match.

"Now the thing is to respond. It always is at this club -- you lose a game and you respond. We always do."

Four days after dishing out a 4-0 thrashing to Real Madrid, the Reds came from behind to complete their biggest win at United since 1936.

"We have played better this season but not against a team of United's quality," the Spaniard said. "To beat Real and United, two of the biggest teams in Europe, in the same week and score four goals against them is fantastic. But the best weeks in football are when you win titles. To win games is part of the battle but to win the war, that is the most important thing," he said.

Having masterminded home and away wins over United and not lost to either Arsenal or Chelsea this season, Benitez can convincingly argue that Liverpool are making progress toward the club's holy grail of winning a first English title since 1990. But he recognizes it is an objective that may have to wait for next season. "It depends on United," he said. "They have to lose games and realistically we have to win all ours. We are in a better position than we were but I'm realistic. We know all about the quality and the strength in depth in United's squad. The important thing now is that we win our matches."

Benitez must also hope that his talismen, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, remain free of injuries.