Murphy scored his third winner for Liverpool at Old
Trafford in 2004
Saturday, 21 March
2009
Channel 22: "Live"
No one has a scoring record against Manchester United
quite like Danny Murphy and the Fulham skipper has promised to do
all he can to help his former Liverpool team-mates close the gap in
the title race when Sir Alex Ferguson’s side visit Craven Cottage
on Saturday.
Liverpool’s stunning win at Old Trafford has put pressure on
United, who will look to bounce back against a Fulham side they
beat soundly in the FA Cup on the same ground a fortnight ago.
But the champions must be wary of the threat from their old
nemesis Murphy, a man with a remarkable hold over United during
Gerard Houllier’s reign at Anfield.
Danny Murphy would love to score for Fulham against
Manchester United
Three times in four seasons Liverpool left Old Trafford
with a 1-0 win and on each occasion it was Murphy who scored the
decisive goal. What Murphy would give for another winning goal this
weekend.
'I would absolutely love that, it would make a lot of people I
know very happy,’ said the midfielder, who saw his old pals before
Liverpool faced United because Fulham were staying in the same
Manchester hotel.
‘The result Liverpool got at Old Trafford was fantastic. I
noticed it had gone to 3-1 before our game at Bolton and I was made
up for the boys because they’ve had quite a lot of stick
recently.’
Murphy’s free-kick in 2000 gave Liverpool their first victory at
Old Trafford in a decade and he followed that up with a late winner
to dent United’s title hopes in 2002 and a decisive penalty in
2004.
He added: ‘United have got great qualities but, who knows, maybe
they will start to feel the pressure a bit. They know what it’s all
about because they have been up there so many times, but they will
know Liverpool are chasing them and it’s how they react and deal
with that.’
Murphy thinks Fulham will give a better account of themselves
against United this time. ‘We know we can give anyone a game at our
place,’ he said.