KYLE WALKER SAYS that Manchester United supporters have made a habit of approaching him and expressing their preference for Manchester City over Liverpool in this year’s title race.
City are in a tight race with the Reds heading into the season’s final weeks with Liverpool currently maintaining a two-point lead with one extra match played.
That makes Wednesday’s clash between rivals Manchester City and Manchester United all the more vital, as the Red Devils represent the toughest opponent left on their rivals’ schedule entering the last four matches of the Premier League campaign.
Manchester United are focused on a top-four bid of their own, while Manchester City are even more invested in the Premier League title chase, having suffered Champions League elimination at the hands of Tottenham.
But, despite Man United fans’ disdain for Liverpool, Walker says that, on the field, he expects Wednesday’s derby to be a tight one between two of the league’s top clubs.
“United fans are in a difficult situation obviously,” the City right-back said.
When I’m out and about or walking my dogs, United fans are coming up to me saying, ‘We’d rather City win the league than Liverpool’.
“It’s strange to hear but I can assure you the United players aren’t going to leave a red carpet and say, ‘Go on City, score past us’.
“They’re going to make it difficult because it’s a game of football and they’re fighting for the top four as well so they need the points.”
Liverpool are chasing a first title for 29 years, while Manchester City have the opportunity to become the first club to retain the title in 10 years.
Last season, Manchester United denied City an early coronation when they recovered from 2-0 down at half-time to win 3-2 at the Etihad.
And Walker understands that City will be in for another battle this time around.
Obviously, we could have won it against them last season and they scored a couple of good goals and got the victory,” he said. “That was probably what every United fan wanted with City not winning the title at the Etihad against United.
“We don’t owe them one, because we won against them [3-1] earlier in the season, but it’s one for the fans and it’s one for us to get closer to being the Premier League champions.”
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I can’t imagine rooting for my team to lose in these circumstances. That’s more like being an ant-Liverpool fan than a United fan. There’s no excuse for wanting your team to lose a match, ever.
@seancreaven13: *anti-Liverpool
@seancreaven13: Yea we get it, you have been saying it over and over again since last week.
@seancreaven13: definitely not fans of any club if that’s their thinking. Obviously anti Liverpool fans more than anything else. I can’t imagine wanting the team I support to be beaten in any circumstances especially with champions league at stake
@seancreaven13: I haven’t heard one united fan saying they want to lose but on the other hand every Liverpool fan seems to be putting words into Man Utd fans mouths……
@seancreaven13: there are excuses on rare occasions and this is one of them. Nobody with sense wants Liverfool and spoofer Floppo to win the league.
@seancreaven13: why cant a united fan want city to win the league instead of liverpool ? Serious question.
@Derek Trotter: same question to samstheman?
@John Connolly: there has been a few that have said it on this alone. And I know a few more in work that are the same.
@Derek Trotter: they can. But not as far as wanting your own team to lose especially when they are battling for CL. The road to recovery takes longer when you are out of that competition. Something us Liverpool fans know all too much.
@Seaniecp: dont think klopp got cl football when he took over from rodgers in his first half a season ? Did lfc no harm. I would sacrefice a bohs loss if it meant rovers not winning the league. Maybe differnt if your from manchester having to listen to city fans but for utd fans in ireland they ll have to take stick from lfc fans, so it kinda makes sense.
@Derek Trotter: wanting your team to be beaten at anytime is not supporting your team Derek, or am I missing something there
@Derek Trotter: They absolutely can. But enough to want their own team to lose? That’s the bit I don’t buy.
Plus, as I’ve said they need the points for CL qualification
@themansam: i think you know the answer sam, united fans dont want lfc catching their 20 league titles, took em long enough to catch your 18. City no were near that so lesser of two evils. That help maybe ?
@John Connolly: Do you want a list?
@themansam: shareholders will want that but utd fans know they aint winning that anytime soon.
@seancreaven13: do the fans want to sacrifice champions league football so that liverpool dont win the league? The players dont as they lose their bonuses…but they look like theyve downed tools on Ole already
@Derek Trotter: champions league football or not is the question Derek, failure to qualify will have a direct effect on who they can sign in the next window, possibly two windows. It’s biting your nose off to spite your face stuff
@themansam: klopp done alright with out cl qualification ? Its not the be all and end all. When i was kid growing up utd had 7 leagues and lfc had 18 and lfc fans loved having that over them. I reckon utd fans want to protect that at all costs. I understand that have to say. City ll beat em anyway i reckon. Bigger match tonight than any english game for irish footie fans, cmon bohs.
@Derek Trotter: I agree with Mon the bohs.
@Derek Trotter: I’ll put it this way, line OGS up beside a fan & ask them both what they would rather? For the future of their club, 3 points or no points? Baring in mind Ole apologised to the fans at the weekend
@themansam: for the future of their club ? Your a madman !!! Richest club in the world, 80 000 every 2nd week in their ground . Their future is alright. Thats your best post. Ps im rooting for lfc, just kick off here. Celebrate lfc rather than hating utd sam.
@Derek Trotter: nothing to do with me hating anyone when my point is, that you’re not a real supporter if you want your team to be beaten with CL qualification on the line. It’s simple maths. JK having no CL has nothing to do with this either Del, he was a proven manager before coming to Anfield. OGS isn’t
@themansam: that’s right little boy and he didn’t blame the wind etc either
@David Weston: little boy! Ah Davey you’re a funny lad “lol”. If you knew anything about football “if”, you’d know JK had two leagues titles before stepping down at Dortmund, broke Bayern’s hold on German football. So jimmy magee, what’s OGS done, apart from say sorry to the fans for performances?
Answers on the back of match box please
@themansam: thats unfair sam, ok for klopp not to get for cl in first half a season but not for ole ? Klopp celebrated a draw against west brom ole said sorry against everton. Id suggest their quite similar personallitys. As for breaking munichs hold in germany id suggest you read up on german football. Plenty of other clubs/managers have broken munichs hold in germany. Wouldnt be say as remarkabke as SAF with aberdeen in scotland breaking the old firms hold. Ole also won leagues in his own country. Tut tut sam
@Derek Trotter: neither JK or OGS can’t be mentioned in the same breath as Alex Ferguson at this moment in time Del, tut tut yourself. Since 2000, Bayern have won 12 titles, only one other than them have put titles back to back, every other time Bayern have won the league after someone else won it
@themansam: sam you just echoed what i said in my post that dortmund arent the only team/manager to break munichs hold plus i said what SAF achieved in scotland was more remarkable, so not sure why ya tuted me ! Im impressed with your german football knowledge though. Great win for bohs again against rovers.
@Derek Trotter: a Dortmund side managed by JK is the only team apart from BM to win back to back titles Derek, that doesn’t echo what you said. I didn’t know Bohs were playing Del, so if you support them, I’m happy for you
@themansam: whats back to back got to do with breaking a hold ? Surely winning it once means the other team arent holding it no more ??? Sam im lost.
@Derek Trotter: it’s pretty straight forward Del
@themansam: only when you know samman ?
@Stephen Walsh: With sense!! Idiot comment of the day by a country mile
What an absolute load of shyte, I’m a united fan for 37 years I have never wanted united to lose a game. Sure I don’t want Liverpool to win the league but they definitely deserve it this year best football by far. City are good too but I think Liverpool will pip it. I’d rather united get top 4 rid 8 players out this summer promote 3/4 young lads and bring in 3/4 lads and with patience see them prosper.
@mr lanister: And that’s what I’d say too if it were me.. well said.
@mr lanister: fair play to ya. It should be the sentiment of any fan in this scenario.
@mr lanister: stop talking as an adult it makes the kids look foolish !!! I remember cheering Liverpool to a 2-1 win to potentially hand Utd the league title only for Utd to draw at West Ham and Blackburn win the league. But the majority of gimps are too young to look that far back.
@mr lanister: for a Lanister you’re alright
@mr lanister: Exactky…The majority of true Man United supporters are just worried about the state and the future of the team. I honestly don’t give 2 hoots who wins the league but I would actually prefer Liverpool to win it over City but that’s just me…
@John Hayes: Yep John, I remember it well, King Kenny was managing Blackburn at the time, no quarter asked for and none given, I think Jamie Redknapp scored a belter free kick to win the match and the stadium erupted, it erupted again when the result came in from Upton Park!
I’m finding it just a little bit funny that a lot of so called Utd fans are saying they will be cheering for a city win in the derby, seen as so the team you have been cheering for have lost 6 of their last eight games,, maybe you should be cheering for Utd if you want them to lose,, you know, to keep up with the consistency..;)
If utd have any pride they’ll play to win and won’t care who wins the league. But on all form city will win 3 or 4 nil.
So united fans cried ABU for years…but now they want anyone but liverpool.
@Martin Redington: I doubt united fans cried Anyone But United for years.
@Alan Brazil: oh alan, you little scamp
If the shoe was on the other foot would Liverpool fans prefer Utd or Everton to win the league.
@Derek Durkin: Everton honestly. But if we were playing them in the same circumstances. I would want us to beat them in the hope of a higher finish in the table and CL football.
@Derek Durkin: Good question.. but I’d still want Liverpool to beat whichever one they were playing.. leave the rest to sort itself out.
i remember a few years back liverpool lost on purpose 5 nil at home to an already relegated team so Utd wouldn’t win the league.
@Colm O’Buachalla: lose it and risk champions league football next year especially when they’re going to have to attract a lot of talent to old Trafford next year.
@Colm O’Buachalla: how would Liverpool losing to an already relegated team affect United winning a league exactly ?
@Seaniecp:away goals?
@Colm O’Buachalla: away goals in the league?
@Colm O’Buachalla: I think you’re a bit confused,the title race that season was between united and city.Man City beat qpr to win the league.Liverpool played Sunderland that day but that game had no bearing on who won the league,Man City won it on goal difference
@Colm O’Buachalla: what?!?
@themansam: even so why would Liverpool’s goal tally being worse or a relegated ones affect United. This guys is majorly confused here. In any scenario that can’t make sense. Points or goal difference wise. Unless the already relegated team were also going to win the league somehow.
@Seaniecp: I’m scratching the head here at that comment seanie, much like himself I’ve no clue what he’s on about
@Colm O’Buachalla: eh Liverpool losing 5-0 anytime in the last 50 years in the league at Anfield never happened you idiot.
@Colm O’Buachalla: please elaborate on that one. Details please.
Utd fans lol
No real fan of a club ever wants to see their team beat. Especially in a big Derby match. Any Utd fan hoping City beat them need to really question who they really support.
United we stand…….Manchester is blue
Who’s at the wheel
Ah how lovely Utd fans finally accepting they are the second team in Manchester (never mind the rest of the UK)…. :-D
The never happened awards 2019…
It’s great listening to the salty pool fans as they begin to realise that butt hurt it just around the corner again…..
@David Weston: around the corner is one thing, but living it day to day like you is another
Everton 4, Manchester United 0
@themansam: this will be right up your alley boy
https://youtu.be/G1i5TM-w6is
@David Weston: you’ve been the one salting the chips on both shoulders for months now lad. Obsessed with Liverpool because united are pants. Now up the stairs with the dummy & teddy for you, school holidays this week you’ve running around and messing to be at tomorrow sonny boy. Have fun
Another angle could be that City win all 4 games and da pewel seek a points reduction off City or pressurise the association to do a rule change like when they got back into the CL in 2006 season.
Best for everyone if there is a 17th Premier League Trophy in Manchester.
No chance. Big ask the way they are playing but United need to beat City somehow and have a big scalp going into another must win against Chelsea at the weekend. 2 of their biggest games of the season. No United fan wants them to lose.
They’re happy to be the second best team in Manchester.
ABL time.