Jamie Carragher: Time For Liverpool To Show Character

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes now is the time for the Reds to demonstrate a fighting spirit and show their character as they look to recover from their recent slump.

The Anfield club are going through their worst spell for some 22 years with four defeats on the spin as they prepare to take on bitter rivals Manchester United later today.

A home defeat for Liverpool would leave them 10 points behind United in the Premier League table after only 10 games of the season although Carragher is optimistic that Rafael Benitez's side can turn things around.

"You don't have it rosy all the way through your career," the 31-year-old told the club's official website. "You've got to fight to get to the top.
 
"We're at this club for a reason and one of those reasons is we're good at our jobs and because we've got the fight and the character needed to be at this club. This is the time we've got to show it. The manager won't be feeling extra pressure. He's been a manager for a long time. I'm sure he's had this in his career before.
 
"I've had it in mine at different times when it's not going well and the reason the players and the manager are at Liverpool football club is because we've come through those tough times.
 
"There's always pressure on Liverpool to do well and win trophies. We know we're on a poor run at the moment and there's only ourselves that can change it.
 
"A lot of people, fans and press will talk about different things but it's eleven of us out on the pitch who can change it and it's up to us to sort it out.
 
"We're just not playing well as a team, that's for everyone to see. But we haven't become a bad team overnight, we're just having a bad patch.
 
"We've missed a few players at vital times and that showed again in midweek. We're on a poor run and that's affected confidence a little bit. We've shown that courage over the years and we've got to show it now."

Carragher went on to insist that it is far too early to write Liverpool off and that the club are still capable of challenging for major honours come the end of the campaign.

"We're not playing well but it's a long season and we've still got things to go for," he added. 
 
"I know we'll be getting written off but I remember the treble season in 2001. We didn't start that very well but no-one remembers it now.
 
"In 2005 we had a terrible season in the league but everyone remembers it for the Champions' League.
 
"We struggled at the start of 2007 too when we got to Athens. It sounds like every season we started badly, doesn't it? It's at the end of the season when the judgments are made.
 
"It's like being down at half-time in a game, you've got to keep fighting and that's what we'll do."

Manchester United will undoubtedly prove a stern test for the Merseyside club today although former England man Carragher believes it is a good time to play the champions.

"I think it always is a good time to play such a big game," he continued.

"No-one will be expecting much from us. We'll be written off before the game, which is normal.
 
"I can't speak for them but it'll be motivation enough for us to be playing Man United and we know it's a vital game.
 
"They rested a few in Moscow and it'll be a very important game for them as well as us.
 
"There'll be a lot of stick flying round as there always is when Liverpool aren't doing well so we've just got to come together and try to get three points."

Stephen Darwin, Goal.com UK