For those Liverpool fans upset at this weekend’s loss to Chelsea, I say ‘What are you upset about?’. The loss that Liverpool have just experienced, has ironically just ensured that their long term rivals Manchester United will fail to win a 19th Premier League title this season, overtaking Liverpool’s 18.
By losing against Chelsea, Liverpool have kept their tradition and historical dominance in the Premier League intact, for this season at least. Of course, the title is not quite signed, sealed and on it’s way to Stamford bridge quite yet, but I can’t honestly see them losing, or even drawing to Wigan at home this weekend.
Manchester United fans will have known that realistically, Liverpool were the only team remaining that could help Alex Ferguson’s men to a fourth consecutive title. Oh the irony! It was a win-win situation for Liverpool. Had they have beaten Chelsea, they could have finished the season with some sense of pride and dignity intact, but should they lose, which they inevitably did, they can rest easy knowing rivals United have quite probably seen the title slip out of their sights.
Steven Gerrard obviously preffered the latter situation, realising that his side were still not losing the match, he provided Drgoba with an outstanding assist, slotting it right infront of the Ivorian striker, allowing him to round Pepe Reina and set Chelsea on course for their win.
Of course, I’m not suggesting for one moment that Gerrard would do such a thing, and in hindsight, it was never likely that Liverpool would get a result on Sunday, with the likes of Kuyt and Babel left upfront to find the back of the net. Fernando Torres could only look on in despair from the stands as his stand-ins failed to fill his boots.
After failing to emulate last season’s success, and even failing to reach the final of the Europa League, Rafa Benitez would have no doubt looked to Plan B. Of course, I’m not referring to the increasingly popular rap artist, but to the silver lining still on Liverpool’s horizon. That being the chance to ensure Manchester United fail to overtake Liverpool’s 18 Premier League titles marker.
That silver lining might not be fully set in stone yet however. Yes Chelsea only have to play Wigan on Sunday, and yes they play them at home, and yes they’ve hit a run of extremely intimidating form, but Manchester United fans can take heart from the fact that there have been many unexpected twists and turns throughout this season’s title race, and should there be one more on Sunday, it might just prove the final nail in the coffin for Liverpool’s season.
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