The Reds boss claims the Scotsman is casting a nervous glance or two over his shoulder as the title race tightens...
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez today took the psychological warfare between himself and Alex Ferguson up another notch, by claiming that the Manchester United had not been indulging in the 'mind games' for which he is so famed in recent days, but rather that the Old Trafford boss was 'scared' of the Merseysiders' threat to his Premier League title ambitions.
"It is not mind games, I think it maybe is that he is a little bit scared [of us]," Benitez told reporters at a press conference today.
"I do not have a problem with United. Clearly one of us, either Chelsea or us, will end up focusing just on the Premier League after this. I think Sir Alex will be supporting Liverpool in this tie because he knows we are the bigger threat now.
"If we continue in the Champions League maybe he will think we will tire. If we are not in this competition then he knows that we will be a [bigger] threat in the Premier League.
"If Chelsea are not in the competition, then he knows they will then be a threat also in the league. But he will lose anyway, whoever goes out, because they will still be a big threat to United.
"You have to prepare well for every single Premier League game, it is tough (to be in the Champions League as well). So he will clearly be supporting us tomorrow and next week.
"I would like to be worried about both competitions, it means we will continue to be successful. We just concentrate on our team, while he likes to talk too much about other teams."
Benitez also reacted unconcernedly to United's stunning weekend victory over Aston Villa, stating, "We knew there would be situations like this, with us one point ahead, or one point behind. And everyone knows five minutes [of injury time] at Old Trafford is a very long time.
"I watched the game, but once United scored their second you felt they would win the game.
"He [Ferguson] is in the driving seat now and in a better position, but there is still a long way to go and we have confidence. We are pushing them and we will push them until the end."
Meanwhile, Liverpool have to face the Champions League challenge posed by Chelsea, resurgent in recent weeks under the wily and well-seasoned management of Guus Hiddink, who visit Anfield on Wednesday night for the first leg of their quarter-final tie.
The Spaniard would not be drawn on what he felt the outcome might be, preferring instead to highlight the likely closeness fothe contest.
"It is not a good time for either of us to be playing the other. It is a big challenge for both teams. They have a good team with experience and a manager with experience. This game is 50-50," he explained.
"I have great respect for a massive club and a very good team. We are both playing in big competitions. We are both big teams.
"We have beaten them twice this season in the league, it will give us confidence, but this is a different competition and it will be down to just one or two mistakes.
"Keeping a clean sheet is important in the first game for both teams, I would prefer to play at Anfield second, but that is not the case so we must get on with it."