[lfc-news] WE'RE SICK OF 'THE BIG 3'

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WE'RE SICK OF 'THE BIG 3'
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/tm_objectid=16141733%26method=full%26siteid=94762%26headline=we%2dre%2dsick%2dof%2d%2dthe%2dbig%2d3%2d%2d-name_page.html
LIVERPOOL v MANCHESTER UTD: Anfield, tomorrow, kick-off 12noon Gerrard:
Liverpool are European Champions but all we ever hear is talk of United,
Arsenal & Chelsea .. it's time people spoke about us
David Maddock
LIVERPOOL captain Steven Gerrard always feels the same whenever Manchester
United visit Anfield - sick to the stomach.

It is nothing personal against United, although to a born-and-bred Scouser
the enemy from the other end of the East Lancs Road are never going to be
bosom buddies.

What turns Gerrard's stomach is all the talk he hears about the Big Three.

Liverpool are the champions of Europe but have their noses pressed against
the window of that exclusive Premiership club.

Chelsea are part of the Big Three. Arsenal too. And of course the hated
Manchester United. It's strictly by invitation only - and these days
Liverpool are never invited.

Gerrard has had enough. He's heartily sick of it, to be frank. And if
Liverpool aren't going to get invited, he's going to make damned well sure
they gatecrash.

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"We have won the Champions League but at home people only ever speak about
the top three teams...and I am sick of hearing all that," Gerrard said.

"We had a great season in Europe but the Premiership was very
disappointing. We are desperate now to show people that Liverpool are
improving and we are desperate to get talked about when it comes to the
title race.

"We want to hear our name mentioned, we want to be in there with the other
three. When people talk about the title it is always those three and we are
always overlooked. The time has come for us to start getting mentioned."

Gerrard has a point. Liverpool are the reigning champions of Europe, they
have one of the biggest fan bases of any club in the world, and yet they
are routinely passed over as a credible force, despite their adventures
last season.

Look at the midweek Champions League group games. ITV made Chelsea's dull
encounter with Anderlecht their main feature, even though the more widely
supported Liverpool were beginning the defence of their trophy in a
potentially far more entertaining contest with Real Betis.

Gerrard is experienced enough to know that the only way Liverpool can
change such muddled thinking is to launch a serious title assault.

If they can cling on to Chelsea's coat-tails this season, then Liverpool
will be offered respect. And with games against United and the current
Premiership champions coming up in the next fortnight, the Mersey men have
the perfect opportunity to make their mark.

"We play United on Sunday and then we have games with Chelsea coming up so
these next few weeks will provide us with a chance to make a statement,"
said the Liverpool captain, the driving force of that memorable European
Cup Final comeback against Milan in Istanbul in May.

"It hurts when people speak about them and not us, it hurts that they go on
about them all the time and we don't rate a mention. But we can change that
only by being successful in the Premiership.

"We won the Champions League last season but the Premiership is our priority.

"We desperately want to do well in it this season, and we can show in the
next few games what we are made of.

"We all love the big games. Matches against Manchester United are so
intense because of the rivalry between the two clubs.

"And as we never took anything from our games against them last season, we
have to make sure that isn't the case this time around."

Gerrard believes that Liverpool are far better equipped this season to
break into the top three. Last term they didn't even make the top four and
finished 19 points adrift of third-placed United.

The Reds won in midweek against Betis without their skipper, who was
allowed the luxury of a rest after injury problems. Last season that would
have been unheard of, but the captain believes it is a sign of the progress
the club is making under manager Rafa Benitez.

"We won the Champions League but we didn't have depth to the squad. It was
frustrating for the manager because he didn't have the chance to rest
players and keep them fresh for the whole campaign," Gerrard explained.

"That is why he bought players in the summer. He wanted to strengthen the
squad so that he could play a strong side in every game, even if he was
resting certain players.

"Against Betis he was looking after me because I had a calf strain and
missed two or three weeks of training. I went straight back into playing
for England when I wasn't 100 per cent fit.

"The fact that he was able to give me a rest and we came up with an
important win in Europe shows that we are progressing, no question. It
shows that we have moved on from last season.

"We really want to do well in the Premiership this season, and we have had
a decent start so there is an improvement already.

"We have had three clean sheets in the league and are difficult to break
down now - that could be important as the season progresses."

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