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Football: League has to be Benitez's priority; . . . but rivals will be going flat out in cup.


Byline: IAN RUSH This article or section is written like a personal reflection or and may require .
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ONE thing which can safely be said about the FA Cup draw is I'm sure both Liverpool and Everton would have preferred to have avoided one another.

It is an absolutely massive tie and the players, staff and fans at both Merseyside clubs will be really looking forward to it, particularly as it will be the second derby of the week with the league meeting taking place just a matter of days beforehand.

But the fourth round draw could have been an awful lot kinder because everyone knows just how fiercely contested this game will be and just how much will be at stake.

Merseyside derbies do not need any extra spice spice, aromatic vegetable product used as a flavoring or condiment. The term was formerly applied also to pungent or aromatic foods (e.g., gingerbread and currants), to ingredients of incense or perfume (e.g., myrrh), and to embalming agents.  and neither do FA Cup games, so combining the two is an explosive concoction and I'm sure everyone in the country will be keeping an eye on the match at Anfield.

The big disappointment is that only one Merseyside team will be in the draw for the fifth round because it is always good when both clubs are doing well and making progress.

But the only way for the players to approach it is to give absolutely everything for the cause in both the league and cup games.

People will talk about fatigue but I played in enough Merseyside derbies to know that you don't feel tired in games like these.

You get through on adrenaline adrenaline (ədrĕn`əlĭn, –lēn): see epinephrine.  and on the energy that the crowd gives you - you just keep on going, it is as simple as that.

For me, Liverpool have the advantage because they are at home and also because they have a stronger squad.

When you play two games of such massive importance in the space of a week you are going to need to dip into dip into
Verb

1. to draw upon: he dipped into his savings

2. to read passages at random from (a book or journal)

Verb 1.
 your squad and Liverpool definitely have more strength in depth.

But there is also no doubt that the league derby is Liverpool's most important of their two games and they cannot be deflected de·flect  
intr. & tr.v. de·flect·ed, de·flect·ing, de·flects
To turn aside or cause to turn aside; bend or deviate.



[Latin d
 from that, even by an FA Cup tie.

Rafa Benitez and his team are in the perfect position to challenge for the title. and doing that has to be their priority.

It's probably the other way around for Everton because realistically the FA Cup is the only trophy they can challenge for this season. So it will be interesting to see how both teams approach the two games.

But should Liverpool win both it would be a massive boost at a key time in the season.
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Title Annotation:Sport
Publication:Liverpool Echo (Liverpool, England)
Date:Jan 6, 2009
Words:412
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