Nothing to fear, Barton tells United

Mar 7 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

It is a ground built on intimidation but one former Newcastle player has told his contemporaries they should rise to the occasion of playing at Anfield.

THEY are only three little words, but “This is Anfield” can have a decisive effect on opponents and visiting referees alike.

The famous words on the sign above the players’ heads as they walk down the tunnel of a ground steeped in history are calculated to have an intimidatory effect on anyone not wearing the Liver Bird on their shirts. When Newcastle United are in town, it generally works.

Not many teams have good records in the red half of Stanley Park, but Newcastle’s is worse than most. Not since 1995-96 have they won a match at Anfield, a League Cup tie decided by Steve Watson’s goal.

Not since their first Premier League visit have they come home with full points, courtesy of goals from Rob Lee and Andy Cole.

Some members of the squad could be forgiven for trembling, but one member of the last successful Newcastle team there thinks tomorrow’s game should be viewed as a prospect to be welcomed rather than feared.

“These type of stadia – Anfield, Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and the Emirates – are the ones you should go to and enjoy,” says Warren Barton, United’s right-back in the 1-0 League Cup triumph.

“You should go out there and just give your best, you don’t need anything else. Really, at grounds like that you’ve nothing to lose.”

Barton is surprised to learn of the club’s dismal record over the past 13 years, though he remembers the last win. “I remember Steve Watson playing as centre-forward,” he recalls. “Like he did whenever he was asked to play anywhere he always did a job and that night was no different with his heroics in front of goal.”

Barton is saddened that St James’s Park is no longer seen in a similar light to Liverpool’s home. “The Pompey result (when Portsmouth won 4-1 on Tyneside earlier in the season) was when it sank in for me,” he said .

“In my time at Newcastle it was a fortress, but sadly it isn’t at the moment. We always used to play at a high tempo and kept the momentum going right through the game.

“I remember playing against Newcastle for Wimbledon and you were never able to catch your breath. That should still be the case – they’ve got the players.”

One member of the current squad used to leave Barton out of puff on a regular basis. Michael Owen was prolific against the Magpies as a Liverpool player, and Barton is hoping he has brought that form with him. “I remember in my time as a player Michael was always turning me and racing away,” he says. “Many a time I had to catch him but he was always pulling off people’s shoulders and scoring goals.

“When you have a good record against a club it always fills you with confidence and hopefully now Michael can start doing it for us instead of against.”

It is not just Owen’s presence in the away dressing room which gives Barton cause for optimism. Timing, he believes, could work in Newcastle’s favour.

Liverpool thumped West Ham United 4-0 on Wednesday, Fernando Torres scoring a second consecutive home hat-trick for the club. But tomorrow’s game comes half a week before Liverpool’s crucial European Cup game at Inter Milan, and Barton believes their minds may not be fully on the task in hand.

“The Champions League has been good to Rafa Benitez in the past and he regards it as very important,” says Barton. “This season it’s vital to him and his job so I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few important players rested at the weekend.

“Having said that, it still won’t be easy, especially with Newcastle’s form as it is. They’re lacking confidence as a team and as individuals. But if they play as well as they did against Blackburn they’ve got a good chance. The only disappointing thing is they played so well without getting that win. They still haven’t won under Kevin Keegan and they need to put that right quickly. As soon as they get that first win, I expect it to have a huge effect on confidence.”

If the most significant Liverpool-Newcastle clash of the 1995-96 season came in the cup, the most famous was in the league. It was at Anfield that season that the pair played out the first of consecutive 4-3 matches – both going in Liverpool’s favour – which captured the imagination of the nation.

Like Keegan, his manager that day, Barton admits to having mixed feelings about a defeat which caused untold damage to his club’s Premier League title chances.

“I remember standing in an empty stadium afterwards with David Ginola having his customary post-match cigarette,” says Barton. “It was an honour to be involved in a game like that.

“The second 4-3 wasn’t as good. I managed to get a goal myself but Robbie Fowler popped up to get the winner. We deserved to win the first game but they were the better team in the second one.”

Better team or not, Barton will just be desperately hoping that come Sunday he is no longer one of the last United players to have tasted victory at Anfield.

In my time at Newcastle, St James’s Park was a fortress but sadly it isn’t at the moment