Dalglish: We haven’t handed United the title

KENNY DALGLISH refused to accept Liverpool have handed Manchester United the title by holding Arsenal to a draw at the Emirates but insisted the performance augurs well for his team’s own ambitions next season.

Liverpool’s point keeps alive their hopes of finishing fifth in the Premier League but leaves bitter rivals United as firm favourites to be crowned champions, now sitting six points clear with six games to go as their bid for a record 19th league title which would put them one clear of Liverpool, who have 18.

Dalglish said: “Have we handed them the title? We never handed anything to anyone. In fact, we beat them 3-1 at Anfield so I don’t know how we handed them anything.

“We’ll look after ourselves and if anyone gets any advantage from our results, then so be it. We can only look after ourselves and that’s what we always do.

“I don’t know the Arsenal players, so I don’t know if they can come back. I’ve only seen them on television or live today. I know they are a fantastic set of footballers and play fantastic football and, stating the obvious, it will take them getting more points than United if they want to win it.

“United have a difficult game against Newcastle on Tuesday, Arsenal play Tottenham on Wednesday so there are going to be some twists and turns before the end of the season. How it will end up I don’t know.”

Dalglish was full of praise for his own team and unconcerned by the prospect of United overtaking Liverpool as the most decorated club in English football, dismissing suggestions it was sad for him to see.

He said: “In my eyes we’re still the best club in English football, if not world football. So I’m not very sad at that. The surprise is that they have not won the title for a long time, that is the surprise but it’s not sadness, it’s just a fact of life.

“They never acquired enough points in any season since 1991 to win it. They came close a couple of years ago when Rafa went close, had a fantastic record against the so-called top four but just couldn’t get it over the line. It will be fantastic to get back there but you need to hit the standards other teams have set.

Dalglish confirmed that defender Jamie Carragher, carried off unconscious after a clash of heads, recovered quickly in the dressing room at the Emirates and is expected to be fit to face Birmingham next weekend.

Striker Andy Carroll, taken off with a knee injury, is also not seriously hurt but Fabio Aurelio injured a hamstring and could be missing for several weeks.