Rodgers won’t look to United as gauge of Reds success, while Wenger targets hurting Spurs

BRENDAN Rodgers says he won’t look to Man Utd as gauge of Liverpool’s success this season, while Arsene Wenger aims to pile misery on Tottenham.

LIVERPOOL hold the whip hand over Manchester United for the first time in decades and could land a devastating blow on their rivals’ top-four challenge at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Having endured year upon year of United supremacy, Liverpool have turned the tables this season and approach this weekend’s match 11 points above their floundering foes in the English Premier League table.

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While Liverpool still have eyes on the title, United’s bid for Champions League qualification is in dire straits as they trail fourth-place Manchester City by nine points, having played two games more.

David Moyes’s side have already lost at home four times in the league this season and they can expect no sympathy from a Liverpool team whose fans have endured season after season of torment at United’s hands.

News_Rich_Media: They are the two most decorated clubs in the history of English football and Manchester United and Liverpool will again face off this weekend at Old Trafford in a clash steeped in history and bitter rivalry.

Not since September 2004 have Liverpool gone into a league game at Old Trafford above United in the table and it was 23 years ago — in February 1991 — that that was last the case for a fixture played after Christmas.

Only once, in 2002, have Liverpool finished above United in the post-1992 Premier League era, but current manager Brendan Rodgers has warned against paying too much attention to the relative fortunes of the two teams.

While Rodgers has been eager to play down Liverpool’s title chances, he says silverware, rather than success against United, will be the only reliable barometer of his team’s progress.

“The benchmark for us is the best,” he said. “First of all, we are always challenging the team at the top; not Manchester United, who are further down.

“Liverpool has its own great history both domestically and in European football, so for us the benchmark has always been the best and we will always look to do that.

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“I never said when I came in here we wanted to be fourth. Top four is where we want to be, but Liverpool will always be judged on being the best, both here and in Europe, not against Manchester United.”

Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger has challenged Arsenal to revive their English Premier League title challenge by adding to the troubles of their bitter rivals Tottenham in a vital north London derby on Sunday.

Wenger’s side will be 10 points behind leaders Chelsea by the time they kick off at White Hart Lane if Jose Mourinho’s men win at Aston Villa on Saturday.

But Wenger is convinced his team can still overhaul their title rivals and the Gunners manager believes the short trip down the Seven Sisters Road to face beleaguered Tottenham is the ideal place to start.

“It has always been difficult at White Hart Lane, but we are in a position where of course we want to win the game, because after losing at Stoke, it is very important,” Wenger said.

“We had a good result against Everton in the FA Cup, we had a good result even at Bayern, but we must continue and have no more weak moments before the end of the season.”

News_Rich_Media: Fox Sports football expert Mark Bosnich previews the weekend's key Premier League and La Liga fixtures.

After leading the top-flight table for a long period, Arsenal have surrendered the initiative with just one win in their last four league matches.

Yet Arsenal’s wobble pales in comparison to the problems across north London, where Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood is engaged in a battle to save his job three months after taking over from Andre Villas-Boas.

Sherwood’s surprise appointment looked like a masterstroke by chairman Daniel Levy when Spurs won five of their first six matches under the former Blackburn midfielder.

But Sherwood has seemed increasingly uncomfortable in recent weeks as Tottenham’s form has dipped, culminating in his stinging criticism of his players’ lack of character following last weekend’s 4-0 thrashing at Chelsea.

With reports claiming Levy is already sounding out potential replacements, Sherwood desperately needed to restore morale in Thursday’s Europa League tie against Benfica.

Instead, his players hardly looked like they had taken their manager’s words to heart as they slumped to a lacklustre 3-1 defeat which was most memorable for Sherwood adding to the impression of a man feeling the heat as he became embroiled in a touchline spat with Benfica coach Jorge Jesus.

Weekend EPL on Fox Sports (EDT)

Monday morning, 12.15am: Manchester United v Liverpool, FS1

Monday morning, 2.45am: Tottenham v Arsenal, FS1

Weekend La Liga on Fox Sports

Sunday morning, 7.55am: Atletico Madrid v Espanyol, FS3

Monday morning, 6.55am: Real Sociedad v Valencia, FS3