Soccer: Liverpool the real threat, says Depor boss

Deportivo manager Javier Irureta is more worried about facing Liverpool than Champions League quarter-final opponents Manchester United.

The Spanish side have already defeated both Manchester United and Arsenal home and away in this season’s Champions League.

If they can overcome United again, Deportivo will face the winners of Liverpool’s quarter-final against Bayer Leverkusen.

And Irureta believes Gerard Houllier’s ‘‘dogs of war’’ will be a greater threat to Depor than Sir Alex Ferguson’s ‘‘cavalier’’ stars.

‘‘Liverpool will cause us more problems than United, even though they are a less spectacular team,’’ Irureta told a British tabloid.

‘‘Liverpool’s four midfielders Dietmar Hamann, Steven Gerrard, John Arne Riise and Danny Murphy are players who have more strength than ability.

‘‘In comparison, the United quartet Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and David Beckham are more cavalier and possess a great touch.

‘‘But the Liverpool players are like dogs of war, even though they are less able on the ball.

‘‘That’s why I’m worried about facing Houllier’s side because they would make life more uncomfortable for my team.

‘‘Sir Alex’s side want to have the initiative, to dominate possession and dictate play but they also let you play.

‘‘When Liverpool haven’t got the ball they make it very difficult for you to create chances.

‘‘They give you problems with their physical game. They mark tightly and put great pressure on the opposition.

‘‘Then they find spaces which they can exploit with Michael Owen’s speed.

‘‘I watched their games against Barcelona and they didn’t allow them to breathe.

‘‘But the coach has to bear in mind the characteristics of the players because you form your style of play around them. If you have strong players like Gerrard and Riise then you have to go with that type of football.

‘‘Liverpool have to fight against other teams because they know that’s how they can win.’’

Irureta believes he has spotted United’s weakness, and added: ‘‘Keane, Giggs and (Ruud) van Nistelrooy are the engine of their side. The wingers are very good players, but this nucleus is superb.

‘‘Yet if they miss one of them they cannot perform to their maximum and that is their great weakness.

‘‘My team’s main strength is that we don’t have superstar players but the whole team functions well, no matter who plays.

‘‘We haven’t got a Luis Figo or a Zinedine Zidane in our team but we have good players who are definitely going to provide solutions.

‘‘We know how to keep possession and we will create big problems for them.’’