Grand Slam fans' view
Grand Slam Sunday from 1pm on Sky Sports 1 & HD1
Last updated: 21st March 2008
Eddie Hemmings & Rob Lee
Grand Slam Sunday could not only decide the destination of the Premier League title, but it will also divide a footballing nation on Sky Sports.
Champions Manchester United play host to bitter rivals Liverpool (1.00pm) before Chelsea and Arsenal lock horns in a London derby (3.30pm), all of it live on Sky Sports 1.
Before fans started falling out, we trawled the Sky Sports corridors to find some supporters of the teams involved on Grand Slam Sunday.
The first game of the day sees United welcome Liverpool to Old Trafford and Golf Night frontman Rob Lee will be taking time out from watching the C.A. Championship to cheer on his beloved Red Devils
We put him up against long-time Liverpool fan and the voice of rugby league, Eddie Hemmings, who was more than happy to tell us all about his love of Rafael Benitez's Reds.
Here's what our Grand Slam fans had to say...
Man Utd v Liverpool - Rob Lee & Eddie Hemmings
Tell us about your love affair with your club. Where did it all begin?
ROB LEE: When I was a youngster, way before I started playing golf, the sport that I played was football and basically I idolised George Best. I thought Best was the bee's knees. Much like modern kids love Ronaldo, I thought he was just a genius and because I followed him, I started to follow United. I was six or seven and it has been a long road since then. When I was at primary school I supported them but it wasn't a popular choice; all the rest were Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, so I wasn't in the majority then. It is just one of those things.
EDDIE HEMMINGS: Like all youngsters of my age, back in 1958 I originally fell in love with Man United and Sir Bobby Charlton because of Munich. But then in 1962 my father, who was a Liverpool fan, started to take me to Anfield and I saw the light! I have been a fan of them ever since and in the halcyon days of the 1970's I was fortunate enough to follow them all over Europe as a reporter. I'd had a little bit of an initiation working for Radio Merseyside, but at 18 or 19 I got a job as a young reporter on the Liverpool Weekly News and although it was not quite as good as working with Stevo, it really was a dream job. In fact, my first task was to do a weekly column with Ian St John - who was my boyhood hero - which I did open-mouthed and starry-eyed! But Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, Emlyn Hughes, Kenny Dalglish, Terry McDermott, I worked with all the great names and I knew them all.
Bringing it forward somewhat, how do you think this season has gone at your club?
ROB: So far it has gone pretty well actually. Two of the summer buys, Nani and Anderson, have been brilliant. They have just slotted right in and to be honest, squad-wise, we look really good. I am really happy with the way it has worked out, once Carlos Tevez bedded in, and the only slight hitch has been that Louis Saha has been injured nearly all the time and has never had a good run in the team. I know we got knocked out of the FA Cup but I am certainly not despondent. I am very much on the up.
EDDIE: I've got to be honest and say it's been hugely disappointing, because Rafa Benitez was given a lot of money. I know they have had success in the Champions League, but the real prize for all Liverpool fans is the Premier League, without a doubt. I just wish Benitez wouldn't tinker so much. I know he's got 30-odd millionaires on the books and he's got to keep them all happy, but to my mind you keep your back-four solid and you play your best striker, week-in, week-out. It's as simple as that.
Who have been the stars for your side and by the same token, is there anyone who has disappointed you?
ROB: Ronaldo has been the obvious star with 33 goals - that is phenomenal. I know they say he is a winger but he comes inside and runs on to it like a centre-forward. He has been absolutely brilliant but the defenders have been outstanding too: Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and even Wes Brown has slotted in because Gary Neville has been out all that time. They have been excellent and Edwin van der Sar is very reliable. Once you don't let many goals in you have a great chance, then chuck in that midfield and forward line and you should be able to do something. As far as I can see there are no disappointments at all. It is very difficult to pick someone who has not performed well, I can't find one. Louis Saha hasn't played much, so you can't expect too much from him because a striker needs games and he is not getting them.
EDDIE: It's obvious but Torres is really coming into his own at the back end of the season. He is really looking a class act now that he's getting a proper run in the first team. I know everyone is talking about Cristiano Ronaldo being the leading scorer but the way he's going, it could be Torres, believe me. Of course Steven Gerrard has been outstanding and is the heartbeat of the team and I am also a huge fan of Jamie Carragher, probably because I'm a Scouser and I love the local lads. Harry Kewell has flopped again and in all honesty, has been a huge disappointment from the minute he walked through the door.
What would the best results be for you on Grand Slam Sunday?
ROB: For me it would obviously be a win against Liverpool and the other two to draw. Arsenal and Chelsea will both go into their match thinking they have to win it because if they both drop two points it is a real killer for both. I think that will be a very aggressive game as the draw does nothing for either team. They draw, we win - the perfect results, but you know what football is like, it is hard to predict.
EDDIE: Of course a win at Old Trafford would be ideal but the fact we haven't managed that since 2004 sums up just what's wrong with Liverpool at the moment. I do think a win for Chelsea would make it a really exciting finale to the season as well. I would love it to be Liverpool in a three-way race with United and Arsenal for the title, but sadly I think that's gone for this season. So that other team will have to be Chelsea.
If you can't win the title, then who would you rather took it?
ROB: Good question... Portsmouth? If there was a 'none of the above' box for Arsenal, Liverpool or Chelsea I would tick it. Of the three, you have to admire Chelsea because they lost Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant came in - a no-name really - and yet they have continued to churn out the results. It is impressive that they are still there. Liverpool have now discovered that if you play your key players in their settled positions then they perform well most weeks, but it is too late. But I guess of the three, I would rather Arsenal won it.
EDDIE: Let's keep it in the north and have Man United! I know that will stick in the throat of every Liverpool fan, but I wouldn't mind that at all. I really admire Arsenal and thoroughly enjoyed their Champions League games against AC Milan - I thought they were simply outstanding in the 2-0 win. I don't mind Chelsea compared to some people, but would watch Arsenal first out of the two. But I am a great lover of characters and thought Jose Mourinho was sensational - he always gave me a great laugh.
Will you be watching on Sunday? If so, where?
ROB: I will be at home watching it. If I can sort it right I will go into our spare room, the kiddies' play room, and have a blissful couple of hours in front of the television screen... if I can orchestrate it correctly! It is Easter Sunday, Lent is over, so I will enjoy a nice glass of red wine while I am watching too!
EDDIE: We've got a lot of live Super League on Sky Sports over the Easter weekend, but luckily I shall be at home watching on telly. My 85-year-old dad will be with us if he can remember to get up, remember it's on, and remember to come round and watch it. My late mother-in-law was an Evertonian which used to make for some great fights - in the nicest possible way - but now the whole family are Reds. I'm sure we'll all be watching.
OK, it's prediction time: what will the results be?
ROB: Manchester United will beat Liverpool 2-1 with Wayne Rooney - he always seems to play well and score against Liverpool and Everton - and Carlos Tevez on the scoresheet. In the other game I would guess the shortest odds will be for a low-scoring draw, so I will take 1-1 between Chelsea and Arsenal.
EDDIE: I'll go for Liverpool to roll back the years and win 2-1, with Torres scoring both and a Liverpool player getting an own goal for United. But even if that happens, I don't think it will be enough to get us back into the title race, sadly. As for the other one, I hope Chelsea win to really spice it up for the run-in, so I'll say 1-0. I love the Premier League and would like nothing better than seeing three sides fighting it out - apart from Liverpool winning it of course!
Rob Lee is a presenter of Golf Night on Sky Sports. This weekend he takes a break as we bring you live coverage of the WGC CA Championship from Florida, headed by Tiger Woods...
Eddie Hemmings will be in the Sky Sports commentary box for the Super League games between St Helens and Wigan on Good Friday and Hull and Leeds on Easter Monday. He also presents Boots 'n' All every Wednesday on Sky Sports.
