United favorites for Liverpool showdownAssociated Press
LONDON (AP) - Under normal circumstances, any team fresh from a 4-0 win over Real Madrid would be considered the favorite for its next match, but third-place Liverpool goes into Saturday's Premier League showdown at Manchester United seven points behind the leaders.
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Liverpool prepared for one of the most eagerly awaited fixtures of the season with an overpowering display against Madrid in the Champions League at Anfield on Tuesday, but their spluttering domestic form and an over-reliance on striker Fernando Torres and midfielder Steven Gerrard means United starts as the clear favorite.
United's prosaic progress to the quarterfinals of the Champions League with a 2-0 win over Inter Milan on Wednesday may work against Liverpool. Manager Alex Ferguson was incensed by the way senior players like Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes squandered possession against the Italians, and Liverpool can expect a reaction at Old Trafford.
"It was really reckless football and it allowed Inter Milan to get a grip of the game," Ferguson said. "From the middle of the first half to the end of the first half they (Inter) were the better team."
Nemanja Vidic, scorer of United's first goal, admitted the performance had been flawed.
"We're at home in front of our crowd and I hope we are going to be much better than we were against Inter," Vidic said. "We will definitely try to improve, to erase the mistakes we made and play better against Liverpool."
Vidic's partner in central defense, Rio Ferdinand, said he had been impressed by Liverpool's win over Madrid and feels that even if United wins Saturday it would be premature to write off the team's challenge.
"They've had a good week, getting a great result against Real Madrid," Ferdinand said. "People say, 'If you win this game, you win the league,' but it just continues until it's mathematically over and one team wins it, and hopefully that will be us.
"If we win, it will obviously make it hard for them but I couldn't care what happens to Liverpool as long as we beat them. If we do that and that leads to people thinking they're out of it, then so be it."
Liverpool has taken four points from its last three league games, but the team should at least provide United with a stiffer test than it did in the corresponding fixture last season, when the Reds slipped to a 3-0 loss after Javier Mascherano was sent off.
Torres and Gerrard have scored 17 league goals between them this season, while the rest of the squad has combined for just 25.
Both should be fit, although Torres needed a painkilling injection to play against Madrid.
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"I feel good," the Spaniard said. "My ankle felt a little painful in the second half against Real, but that doesn't matter for a match like this.
"We will work hard on the injury and train hard and I think I will be 100 percent for Saturday. It is a massive game that I hope to win because that will give us more chances in the league. We know it's very important to win there, if not they will be many points ahead."
Chelsea, second ahead of Liverpool on goal difference, hosts Manchester City on Sunday, looking for a fourth consecutive league win under temporary manager Guus Hiddink. Striker Didier Drogba's form has revived under Hiddink, but the key to the rest of their season could be Ghana midfielder Michael Essien, who marked his return to the starting lineup from injury with a goal in the Blues' 2-2 Champions League draw at Juventus on Tuesday.
City striker Robinho, openly courted by Chelsea last summer, should be fit for the game at Stamford Bridge provided he emerges unscathed from Thursday's UEFA cup match with Aalborg.
Aston Villa faces Tottenham Sunday looking to halt a slump in form that threatens its hold on fourth place - and with it the final Champions League qualification spot.
Villa has gone six games, in all competitions, without a win, but manager Martin O'Neill said his side is rejuvenated after a short break in the United Arab Emirates.
"We have trained and enjoyed some sun," he said. "The players now feel refreshed. It was vital to regroup, get ourselves together again and now we want to go out and win some games."
Fifth-place Arsenal is three points behind Villa and hosts Blackburn on Saturday, less than 72 hours after its victory on penalties over AS Roma.
The Gunners will recall Andrei Arshavin, who was ineligible for the Roma match.
Blackburn's confidence was boosted when it climbed out of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win at Fulham on Wednesday.
"It's a huge relief from a mental point of view," manager Sam Allardyce said. "Continuing to see yourselves in the bottom three doesn't help, even though you tell the players 'You can't look at the papers, stay away from them."'
There are two games between teams struggling to avoid relegation. Middlesbrough, in 19th place, hosts Portsmouth, which is one place and two points above in the table. Newcastle, which is above Portsmouth on goal difference, travels to Hull, four points ahead.
Newcastle captain Michael Owen will play some part in the game after two months out with ankle ligament damage.
In Saturday's other games, Everton hosts Stoke, Fulham travels to Bolton and Sunderland hosts Wigan.
