Liverpool get early shot to measure up to United

By Mitch Phillips

LONDON (Reuters) - Liverpool's challenge for their first league title since 1990 gets its first real test of the season on Saturday when they seek to end a dire series of Anfield results against champions Manchester United.

United manager Alex Ferguson said this week that he expected United to soon overhaul Liverpool's record of 18 league titles, and since his team have won 10 of their 17 since Liverpool's last triumph, it is not exactly a wild prediction.

Liverpool fans are extremely unhappy about the prospect and, despite their continued European success, their regular failure to mount a serious domestic league challenge hangs above the club like a dark cloud.

"The fans are screaming out for it, the players want it and we need to deliver," captain Steven Gerrard said this week.

"If we're out of the race again come January or February, there will be a lot of unhappy people around here.

"The city will explode if we win the league, and I don't want it to happen when I'm retired."

Gerrard, who had surgery to fix a groin problem last week, is unlikely to make the game where both sides will expect to improve on some hesitant early-season displays.

Liverpool have lost five and drawn one of their last six home league games against United and have not managed a league goal against them at Anfield for almost five years.