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Benitez: got it wrong

When Benitez was keeping his counsel he would have been more of a concern. Now he has come out and shown his hand Sir Alex will be loving it.

Chris Kamara
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I think Rafa Benitez made a mistake on Friday.

Had he said what he said with tongue in cheek, I think he would've been spot-on. He'd have pointed a few things out that Manchester United have got away with and we'd have all turned round and said 'You know what? He's right'.

But I think he got a little bit carried away. It wasn't quite a rant, but there was a little bit of anger in there, maybe a touch of sour grapes - and that is where he went wrong.

Up until then, I imagine Sir Alex Ferguson was worried about Liverpool. They are leading the league and we had heard nothing, not a squeak, out of Rafa.

Sir Alex would've been thinking how can I get to him? How can I upset him? How can I get the upper hand?

Bitter

When Benitez was keeping his counsel he would have been more of a concern. Now he has come out and shown his hand Sir Alex will be loving it.

I do still think that some things got lost in translation because Benitez's command of the English language is not perfect, but I do think he could have done it in a certain way that would've got more sympathy and looked much less bitter, if you like.

There is no denying some of the things he said though, because United do get away with certain things from time to time - as most football clubs do.

And although he is not bigger than the game, if there is one man who is as big, it is Sir Alex. He has every advantage going for him, but not all the time.

Which is why I found the timing strange as well. Had something major just happened involving Liverpool certainly, and maybe United, then fair enough, but this was a routine Friday press conference. Before a tricky game that Rafa decided to leave Robbie Keane and Fernando Torres on the bench for.

Sharpened

To make matters worse, they drew 0-0 at Stoke and of course, 24 hours later Manchester United went out and turned Chelsea over. In that one press conference, Rafa had already written Fergie's pre-match teamtalk as well.

It will have been back to the United-versus-the-rest-of-the-world scenario of old and it will have only sharpened their focus to beat Chelsea and close the gap on Liverpool.

Something has clearly rattled Rafa's cage, because he is not normally like that, but I can't recall Fergie saying too much recently other than Liverpool 'might choke' under the pressure of being top.

We have all seen enough down the years to know Fergie is indeed the master of the mind games and that that was nothing compared to what he can come out with.

I am sure even he was surprised it got the response it did - he must have been laughing. But don't think he will let it go, because sooner or later something will happen, and he will have his pop back.

And I am sure when he does, he will do so with his tongue firmly in cheek. And that is a fact...

Kammy's picks of the weekend...

GAME - Manchester United 3-0 Chelsea
There was only going to be one game this weekend for this. I have to say I was disappointed in Chelsea because I have seen them a couple of times recently and they have been great. What concerned me was that at 1-0 down at half-time you were expecting a response in the second half but it just never came. Maybe we should give Manchester United more credit because they were very good and it is not often these games between the big four are so one-sided. It was one heck of a marker to lay down.

TEAM - Manchester United
It has to be United doesn't it? They dominated Chelsea, even when before the game you thought they would get overrun in midfield. Ryan Giggs was an inspired choice in central midfield, and Darren Fletcher and Ji-Sung Park were tremendous and they were just better than Chelsea.

GOAL - Mikel Arteta v Hull City
It's the second week in a row I've had to give it to the Spaniard - because it's the second Premier League game in a row that he has produced a special, special free-kick. I know Merse said on Soccer Saturday he was as good as Cristiano Ronaldo from dead-balls, but I don't think he's there yet, but how this lad does not get in the Spain side is beyond me. He doesn't get as much movement on the free-kicks as Ronaldo, but he can put a ball where he wants to, with pace. Marlon King might have ducked a bit in the wall, but take nothing away from the strike itself.

SAVE - Adam Johnson v Sunderland
It's not from a goalkeeper, but I didn't see a better stop all weekend. We re-enacted it in the Goals on Sunday studio and thanks to Payney I do think it was over the line, but still, what a save! You only have to look at the Chelsea game on Sunday to see how important it is to defend those posts at a corner. Boro have had massive problems defending set-pieces as well, with their zonal marking, and but for Johnson's acrobatics, would have been 1-0 down in game they couldn't really afford to lose.

PLAYER - Ryan Giggs
A man of the match performance from a player who, I have to admit, I thought would struggle in central midfield, particularly when I saw Chelsea go with five. But Giggs turned back the clock with a great display that showed just how valuable to United he still is after all these years. This is a man who can play up front, on the left, in the middle and much like Paul Scholes, because he is almost part of the furniture we do tend to take Ryan for granted. Anyone who watched on Sunday will know we are talking about a special, special player.

GAFFER - Sir Alex Ferguson
What a way to finish what could have been a difficult weekend. First he kept his counsel - for now - while Rafa Benitez launched his tirade at him, and then he masterminded that victory over Chelsea. Even then, after the game, he refused to get involved, but you just know he will have his pop back sooner or later! As for the match itself he must have wondered what team to send out and leaving Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick out of central midfield was a massive gamble - but once again, he was proved right.

GRIPE - United's disallowed corner
Why are we so quick to punish genius? There was nothing wrong with what Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs came up with - it was just too quick for the linesman and too quick for Chelsea. People have said all Rooney did wrong was fail to tell the official, but what if the corner was on the other side? There wouldn't have been a linseman to tell! We had a similar set-piece routine at Sheffield United under Dave Bassett when Glynn Hodges and John Gannon would do something similar - Glynn would place the ball with his hands and roll his foot over it - and aim for Alan Cork. But we never scored from it! It was such a shame it didn't stand but thankfully they scored from the re-take. Can you imagine Fergie at half-time had they not got a goal? They'd have needed more than man-marking for the officials! Rooney and Giggs had clearly worked on that in practice and I am sure we will see it again soon - although not for too long, because footballers' don't have the longest memories!

Kammy answers your questions...

Got a question for Kammy? Email him at skysportsclub@bskyb.com or use the feedback form at the bottom of the page.

HODGSON'S CHOICE
Chris, I am a massive Fulham fan and feel we have the best team we have had since being in the top flight. As you have mentioned, the league is very close in terms of point's differentials but I feel we (Fulham) have the capabilities of staying where we are (top ten) or even going into Europe. However there are two crucial things that have to remain if this is to happen. One has to be to keep Jimmy Bullard who had been remarkable since his return from that dreadful, career threatening knee injury. The second is keeping hold of Brede Hangeland, who for me and a lot of other Fulham fans, is one of, if not the best centre halves in the league. He never puts a foot wrong and he has everything you need to be a top centre back; height, heading ability, passing ability, calmness and reading the game. Do you agree with me that we have a chance to reach Europe and what do you think of the remarkable job Hodgson has done since taking over from Sanchez. George Garnham
KAMMY SAYS: I have seen a lot of Fulham this season George, and Roy is a very good friend of mine. Regardless of that you cannot question the fact that he has done a brilliant job at Fulham this season. I am certain he will be looking at finishing in the top half of the table, even if European football might just be beyind them. Knowing Roy, everything he does will be done with improving Fulham Football Club in mind - and that might well include moving Jimmy Bullard on. But he will only do that if he gets a bid in and believes with the money, he can bring in better. He won't want Brede Hangeland to go either, even though everyone has their price, because the lad has been superb. He had his settling-in period last year but even then, you thought he and Aaron Hughes would never make a partnership and they have. I rate Martin Laursen as the best defender in the Premier League, and John Terry is not having the best season of his life, but I wouldn't put Hangeland too far behind them. He can pass the ball better than Laursen can and his improvement has been typical of what has happened at Craven Cottage under Roy. He must be doing a good job as well because we haven't heard a squeak out of the chairman - he knows he can just let the manager get on with things!

DOWNING OUT?
Kammy, do you Stewart Downing will leave Boro. Personally I do think we could do with the money to strengthen, because we can't keep expecting the chairman to dig deep all the time and the squad is pretty small. I fear that the money Boroo are asking is too much though and is not really fair on the lad. Is he worth what they are demanding? I always think that once a player has handed in a transfer request then it is time to move him on. What do you reckon will happen? Karl Grainger
KAMMY SAYS: To be fair Karl, I do actually think Boro need at least two or three players to strengthen the squad and if that means selling Stewart Downing, then it might have to happen - particularly if someone matches their estimation! If you look at their recent form, they have picked up four Premier League points out of the last 27 so something is clearly wrong and maybe it is time for Gareth Southgate to shake things up a bit. I do speak to Steve Gibson a lot, but never about Boro issues, but I know he is the most loyal chairman in the game and he will stand by Gareth Southgate, whatever he decides to do. After all, not many managers would have gone on the recent run Southgate has and be under no pressure whatsoever. When I player hands in a transfer requests it is normally best to let him go, but credit to Gareth and Downing himself, he was man of the match on Saturday and will keep performing for Middlesbrough as long as he's there. I actually think he's a much better player now he's been moved inside as part of a five-man midfield, but maybe Boro should cash in and get more bodies in. I don't think he is worth the £15million being touted around, but as the selling club, it's Boro's prerogative to ask what they like. If someone comes up with that money, I would bite their hand off!