There aren’t many issues on which you’d imagine Nemanja Vidic and Jamie Carragher would agree completely.
The former defensive rocks of arch-rivals Manchester United and Liverpool have such intense favouritism for the clubs at which they cemented their respective reputations that one would expect the pair of centre-halves to argue on pretty much everything.
Well, you’d be wrong as both Vidic and Carragher are in the exact same boat when it comes to the Red Devils’ chances of staging a dramatic comeback and lifting the Premier League trophy in May.
United are currently in sixth place in the Premier League table, 12 points behind runaway leaders Chelsea, and it would take a very favourable set of circumstances for the five sides ahead of them to drop enough points to allow United back into the race.
Former United captain Vidic, who has five Premier League winner’s medals to his name, has unequivocally ruled it out.
“Realistically we are out of the title race,” Vidic told ESPN. “That’s my opinion. But, in recent weeks, the way we have played is encouraging. If we keep playing like that then the top three is our target.”
The Serbian was speaking after United’s 1-1 draw with the Reds on Sunday, when the hosts required a late Zlatan Ibrahimovic equaliser to rescue a point.
And Vidic thinks a draw was a fair reflection on the game.
“In the second half, we didn’t play as good as in the first one — but we scored a goal,” he added. “Ibrahimovic showed his class again. One chance, one goal. Overall, 1-1 is a fair result.”
Carragher echoed Vidic’s opinion, more so on the “out of the title race” stance than the “1-1 is a fair result” stance, as he maintained that both Manchester clubs are actually out of the running for the league.
“I think four,” Carragher said on Monday Night Football when asked how many teams he would consider challengers. “I don’t think the Manchester clubs can.
“Two or three games into the season, they were the two we all felt would battle for the title. But they are 10 and 12 points behind and Chelsea’s goal difference is almost double which is an extra point.
“I only see Arsenal and above who can win the title.”
Catch up with this week’s episode of Football Friday Live:
