Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez claims it is too early in the season to be worrying about the longer-term effects of having claimed only four points from three Premiership games.
Coming just before the Reds' date with champions Chelsea today, and after a week of reported snuggling up to Jose Mourinho, some Liverpool fans might be wondering just what is on Benitez's agenda.
According to reports this week Benitez has been keen to end a recent spat with his Chelsea counterpart. But when push comes to shove, Benitez's reconciliatory efforts will become old news if Liverpool lose further ground against fellow heavyweights Chelsea.
Recent history suggests that these clubs are currently leading the way in English soccer, following Liverpool's European Champions League triumph last year and Chelsea's back-to-back league titles.
Manchester United and Arsenal would certainly have something to say about that, but there can be no doubts that this encounter will go some way to deciding which side has the most to play for domestically this campaign, even at such an early stage.
Liverpool have picked up just four points from their three matches so far, while Chelsea are already five points ahead of them, having played one game more.
Psychologically, that gap is important, although Benitez is trying to play down the consequences of a defeat which would really leave the Reds playing catch up.
"I'm surprised so many people are saying if we lose, the title will be impossible," he said.
SEESAW CONTEST: The Pistons remain top of the Eastern Conference after battling to a win over the Hawks in a game that saw the lead change 27 times The Phoenix Suns on Monday shrugged off an injury to Devin Booker to end the Los Angeles Lakers’ seven-game winning streak with an emphatic 125-108 victory on the road. Booker exited in the first quarter, but the loss of the star point guard did little to halt the flow of Phoenix points over the remainder of the game. Dillon Brooks led the Phoenix scoring with 33 points, while Collin Gillespie added 28 — including eight three-pointers — as the Suns romped to victory. The Lakers were left ruing a colossal 22 turnovers — at a cost of 32 Suns points — on a
IN-HOUSE BUSINESS: LA Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said that the reason for the team’s poor form was not due to Paul, but the player was not a good fit for them Chris Paul’s return stint with the Los Angeles Clippers has come to an abrupt and stunning end, with the franchise parting ways with one of its greatest players in a late-night meeting on Wednesday that adds another layer of drama to the team’s terrible start this season. The news was delivered in a meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, that ended at about 2am, Clippers basketball operations president Lawrence Frank said. Frank said he made the decision to sever ties with Paul on Sunday then told the franchise’s career assist leader that he needed to see him on Tuesday in Atlanta. Frank did not confirm
Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday scored twice and had an assist as Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to end a three-match winless streak in La Liga. Eduardo Camavinga also found the net for Madrid as they moved back within one point of Barcelona, who beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 on Tuesday. Both 19th-round matches were moved forward because Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid are to play in the Supercopa de Espana semi-finals in Saudi Arabia next month. Real Madrid were coming off league draws against Girona, Elche and Rayo Vallecano. It was their second win in their past six matches in
New Zealand yesterday reached 231-9 at stumps on a first day of the first Test against the West Indies shortened by rain after Justin Greaves triggered a middle-order collapse with the wicket of Kane Williamson. New Zealand tumbled from 94-1 to 148-6 on a bowler-friendly wicket after Williamson was dismissed for 52, his 38th Test half-century. Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith arrested the slide with a 52-run stand for the seventh wicket. Smith eventually fell for 23 and Bracewell for 47. After Matt Henry went for 8, Zak Foulkes and Jacob Duffy were both on 4 when bad light stopped play after 70
RSS