CARRA ORDERS NO MORE SLIP-UPS

Jamie Carragher is raring to go again and insists the reds must step up their game against the other teams challenging the title if they are to bring the title back home.

Two years ago the reds managed just 3 out of 18 points against the top 3 teams, last season it was 4 points against Chelsea, Arsenal and United.

The Liverpool vice-captain is fully aware that these games are critical.

"These games have a big bearing on what happens and we need to improve our record against the top teams. If you get beat, you are losing three points but it feels like six.

"We need to improve against the top sides because the competition is so fierce now in the Premiership that you cannot afford many slip-ups. We got one over on them in the Community Shield but obviously we would prefer to get three points from them now."

"They have a bit of lead on us at the moment and we are looking to go there and get a good result but it is a bit much to start building it up as a make-or-break game," said Carragher, though he was keen to emphasise that, despite United's 100% start to the season, he still regarded Mourinho's team as the title favourites.

"Chelsea are still the team to beat for me. United have got the edge on them in terms of points at the moment but Chelsea are still the team to catch and it will be a big test for us. The Everton game was a major slip-up for us last week. It was a big defeat but it was our first for 18 games and we haven't become a bad team overnight. We got back on track a bit against PSV Eindhoven in midweek and now we need to build on that at Chelsea. They ran away with the league in the last two seasons and nobody really got close to catching them, so it is imperative that we try to stay with them this time."