Pre Match: Manchester United v Liverpool 21/3/2010 (KO13:30)

That's what I thought Brian till I realised it was Digger saying it not the Sky pundits.

Oh right yeah that's diffrent so

Still an hour and twenty minutes to go! 

Hurry the F**k up!

GEORGE BEST - Man Utd and Northern Ireland legend
"In 1967, we arrived at Anfield to play Liverpool and as I glanced out of the window of the coach I saw Bill Shankly standing at the main entrance. I was the first player to alight from the coach and when I reached the entrance Bill shook my hand warmly. 'Good to see you again, George,' he said. 'You're looking well, son.'

This was unusual for him, and knowing Shanks to be a wily old fox, I decided to hang around to try to find out what he was up to. As each of the United players entered Anfield, Shanks shook his hand, welcomed him and told him how good he looked. Eventually, Bobby Charlton, a born worrier, came up to Shanks.

'Bobby, son. Good to see you,' Shanks said, shaking his hand. 'But by God, if ever there was a man who looked ill, it's you, Bobby!'

Bobby's face went as colourless as an icicle. 'Ill? I look ill?' he repeated, running the fingers of his right hand over his forehead and down his right cheek. He was visibly shaken.

'Aye, Bobby, son. You look like you're sickening for something. If I were you I'd see a doctor as soon as you set foot back in Manchester.' Shanks patted Bobby on the back and took off down the corridor, leaving him trembling in the foyer.

In the dressing room, Bobby was conspicious by his absence and, ominously, there was a delay in announcing the team. We sat around kicking our heels, no one daring to get changed in case Matt Busby had a tactical plan which meant leaving one of us out. The thought of getting changed only to be told to put your clothes back on because you're not in the team is a player's nightmare.

Eventually Matt Busby entered the dressing room with Jimmy Murphy and told us they had reshuffled the team which had beaten West Ham the previous week. Bobby Charlton was unavailable. He'd suddenly been taken ill."




Prior to the game, Shankly had received the United team sheet and he incorporated it into his team talk. His intention was to run us down and, in so doing, boost the confidence of his own players. 'Alex Stepney,' Shanks began. 'A flapper of a goalkeeper. Hands like a Teflon frying pan - non-stick. Right back, Shay Brennan. Slow on the turn, give him a roasting. Left back is Tony Dunne. Even slower than Brennan. He goes on an overlap at twenty past three and doesn't come baclalalalail a quarter to four. Right half, Nobby Stiles. A dirty little lalalala. Kick him twice as hard as he kicks you and you'll have no trouble with him.'

'Bill Foulkes, a big, cumbersome centre half who can't direct his headers. He had a head like a sheriff's badge, so play on him. Paddy Crerand. Slower than steam rising off a dog lalalala. You'll bypass him easily.' The Liverpool players felt as if they were growing in stature with his every word. 'David Sadler,' Shanks continued. 'Wouldn't get a place in our reserves. And finally, John Aston. A chicken, hit him once and you'll never hear from him again. As the manager finished his demolition job on United, Emlyn Hughes raised his hand. 'That's all very well, boss,' he said, 'but you haven't mentioned George Best, Denis Law or Bobby Charlton.'

Shanks turned on him. 'Jesus Christ son, you mean to tell me we can't beat a team that has only three players in it?' he said, glowering."

Its too early for footy damnit...Im still sleepy.

I'm ready for this!!!! I live with two mancs I hope to shut them right up today...I'ma annoy them singing YNWA as usual.

Come on Mighty Reds...Win, Lose, or Draw I love you!!

Hope Rafa plays Soto negate all their aerial threat.

Torres! I'm bouncing already...

Mines all done, just made a pan of Scouse, smells nice could just eat it now.

I'm all ready with me footy shirt on waiting patiently  

Same here though maybe not patient 

Getting nervous and very pumped up for this match, I'm just hoping and praying that we win.

Hope Rafa changes things if we aren't performing well, although I feel all the lads will be well up for this game today, especially after what happened last season, how nice would it be if we could produce that again 

Good luck lads, go out there and do your stuff.

COME ON YOU MIGHTY RED MEN OF ANFIELD

Now, i don't know about everyone else but, erm, i'm kinda sorta pumped.

Just watching the 4-1 win last year and the 2-0 this year to get me in the mood!

COME ON YOU REDS!

Want to see the team already!

Had my dinner just cant stop thinking about the game ,strangely after all the sh*t and flak over the last few weeks i am feeling quietly confident over this ,dont know if its blind faith or what but i feel good about it c,mon the reds as long as we take the game to them and don,t sit back we will be ok.

Sure am hun.  It's match day so football takes priority for me.

Paul's in the kitchen making blueberry muffins then doing dinner so all my concentration is on the mighty Reds  

Nice to see your bloke's embracin equality Debs, have you bought him an LFC pinny?

Only get to watch the first 30 minutes and last 15 minutes as I have a driving lesson at 2 So pissed off.

Only get to watch the first 30 minutes and last 15 minutes as I have a driving lesson at 2 So pissed off.

Didn't you check the fixture list? Throw a sickie! 

No dinner till tonight for us, I want to concentrate fully on the game.

That was bad planning StevieG, you should have cancelled your lesson, nothing's more important than this 

Team news must be on the way by now.

Live and post match discussion can be found here:

http://www.lfcreds.com/reds/index.php?topic=28604.0