Skrtel - United can slip up

Reds defender hopes pressure will be too much for title rivals

By Vasek Kadlec   Last updated: 25th March 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Skrtel - United can slip up

Skrtel: Title aspirations

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Martin Skrtel believes Manchester United could crumble under the pressure as his Liverpool side gain momentum going into the title run-in.

When the two sides clashed at Old Trafford nearly two weeks ago Liverpool faced the prospect of falling ten points behind their rivals having played a game more.

But a 4-1 win for Rafa Benitez's side put them firmly back in the title race and after United dropped more points away at Fulham on Saturday, coupled with Liverpool's 5-0 win over Aston Villa, the gap at the top is now down to a point.

The Red Devils still have their game in hand but the 24-year-old defender, who will play against England in the friendly with Slovakia on Saturday, is confident that the league leaders can slip up again.

"I think yes, because there are eight games left or so," he told deniksport.cz.

"They are also in the UEFA Champions League. A lot of points are still up for grabs, and although they have a match against Portsmouth in hand, they will not have it easy against them.

"I just hope that we will stay in-form, they will slip-up and we will jump over them in the table."

Spring a surprise

Despite thumping Villa at Anfield on Sunday, Skrtel insists Martin O'Neill's top four hopefuls can spring a surprise when they visit United after the international break.

"It will not be an easy game for them. Aston Villa are still aiming for a Champions League spot and will not give them anything easy," he added.

"We will see. It would be great if they could play better than against us and steal a point or three from United."

The Slovakian international also expressed his delight that Benitez had finally signed a new contract, after expressing his view that he had improved as a player under the Spaniard.

Rafa boost

"It is good for us players as well as for the fans and the whole club, because Benitez has done a great piece of work during his time at Liverpool," he explained.

"He is enormously popular here and I think that he is a coach of great qualities. He has also helped me personally.

"He has taught me a lot. Thanks to him we work a lot on tactics and game discipline. I have improved in both aspects."