Football FanCast columnist

I wonder if it's a case of the more you talk the more you believe. I know its one of my bugbears. I'm talking about players coming out in the media a week before big games and talking themselves up. Confidence is fine, you know what its great, but fans like to see their team show forthrightness and strength with their feet rather than with their mouths.

I always feel slightly wary when it's my team doing all the talking and the opponents are suspiciously quiet. Talking the talk is so much simpler than walking the walk. It was red faces all round when an ill-advised member of the Inter Milan hierarchy said his team could score FIFTEEN goals against Liverpool to surpass the Reds in the last 16 of the Champions League. I mean sure he thought it was possible they did have 90 plus minutes after all to overcome a two goal deficit. The stark reality for Inter Milan and their fans was they were unable to show the confidence and fight of that club official - fifteen goals? They couldn't even score one!

All teams are culprits in this behaviour. Liverpool, starting today have five massive fixtures that will shape their season. There are some very optimistic fans out there that believe number 19 is still a distinct possibility. Call them crazy, deluded or whatever but they will always harbour hope until it's officially gone - see Istanbul. It all becomes immaterial if Liverpool lose to Manchester United in part one of "Grand Slam Sunday".

If a minority of Liverpool fans are showing Pollyanna tendencies the media are on the opposite end of the spectrum. It's still a fight for fourth as far as they are concerned. Liverpool fans would take that just now. But after Everton drawing 1-1 with West Ham on Saturday evening and the Anfield Derby on the horizon, Liverpool could have fourth place in the bag and looking above for a bit more.

A win at Old Trafford this afternoon not only banishes a wretched record Benitez has built up during his Liverpool tenure but it surely puts Liverpool in the title mix. Or does it? The media will still say its three teams competing; it's up to Liverpool to prove all wrong. Talk is cheap unless you can back it up, if Liverpool can do that today then the freedom of speech is all theirs.

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