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Ferguson admits he's still baffled by Rafa's rant

Sir Alex Ferguson intends to consult the works of great psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud to try and work out what lies behind the legend of 'Rafa's rant'.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez let forth a string of invective against his Manchester United counterpart in January, accusing Ferguson of exerting undue influence on the English game and claiming the Scot was a hypocrite and a whinger.

As, virtually from the moment Benitez had finished his tirade, Liverpool's fortunes have slumped as United charged clear in the title race, Ferguson felt no need to respond.

The Scot still feels the same now, in fact he is totally non-plussed at the reason for Benitez's outburst.

"I would need to read more Freud before I could really understand it and where it came from,'' reflected Ferguson.

"I am not really interested. It never bothered me at the time and it doesn't bother me now.''

Ferguson does accept their respective positions mean he will never be bosom buddies with the former Valencia coach. It is the same with another long-standing rival, Arsene Wenger, although it does not prevent the Red Devils chief accepting what a brilliant coach the Frenchman is.

"Anybody that manages Liverpool is a rival to me,'' he said.

"Over the years we have had Kenny [Dalglish], Graeme [Souness], Roy [Evans], Gerard [Houllier] and now Rafa. It doesn't matter who manages Liverpool, they will always be a rival, it is part of the history.

"It's the same with Arsenal. Arsene and I have had our fall outs but you must respect the quality of football he produces. The Arsenal team has got Wenger written right across it.''

For United and their fans however, Liverpool represent something else entirely.

Ferguson recognised the mutual loathing as soon as he came down from Aberdeen and vowed to knock the Merseyside outfit off their perch as kings of England.

That aim has long since been achieved but there are a few other factors likely to give tomorrow's showdown more spice than usual.

United are chasing an 18th league title to match Liverpool's long-standing record for a start. Benitez's men are desperate to stop them and realise that, seven points adrift having played a game more, nothing but a win will do.

Then there are the controversial comments Wayne Rooney made to MUTV in midweek, outlining his personal hatred of the Anfield outfit, which have only served to stoke the fires even more.

"Liverpool have always been our main rival,'' said Ferguson.

"It does not matter what the position in the league, as far as I am concerned, it has always been the derby game.