Manchester United vs Liverpool: Most relevant clash of the season once more
Sir Alex Ferguson once said that the Liverpool game was the fixture he’d look for at the beginning of each season. Traditionally the biggest rivalry on Manchester United’s calendar has been rejuvenated this season. Monday’s game is offering as a referendum on both United and Liverpool’s reinvention this season.
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Having underperformed in much of the modern Premier League era. Liverpool enter this game with a win against fellow Premier League titans, Chelsea. A wonder strike Goal of the Month for in-form Jordan Henderson from that very game. Capped with a Manager of the Month award for Jurgen Klopp — one of the Premier League’s class of new managers. They’ve even got a new stadium extension they seem to be enjoying too.
Liverpool setting the bar high this season
Along with Manchester City and Tottenham, Liverpool have looked one of the strongest teams in the league so far this season. Granted, there’s a long way to go, but for my money they’ve established themselves as one of the teams to beat.
Not only have they played an exciting system of attacking football under Klopp, they’ve also beaten one of the other big teams in the league to prove they will show up when it matters.
A different story down the M62
By contrast, Manchester United have looked patchy, at best. Storming through their early games against lesser opponents. Then faltered against steamrolling City. They’ve dropped points against Watford, and failed to break down Stoke.
Stoke who’d conceded four goals in four of their games this season. Manchester United have been hampered by the Rooney saga, under-utilised Zlatan, and failed to integrate Pogba into the team quick enough.
Manchester United enter as underdogs
In this historic clash, it’s clear Liverpool will enter as favourites, and will enter onto their home ground. Anfield is a tough venue to play at even in years past with weaker Merseyside sides.
Liverpool will doubtlessly come out the gate strong. United — who were caught off guard early against City — will have to not only absorb these attacks, but find their own rhythm.
That rhythm’s going to need to be faster than one Rooney would’ve set. Manchester United must find it without the club captain. He will most likely start on the bench. With his experience playing in these monster matches for over a decade.
Manchester United can get a result
That’s the bad news. The good news is man for man, Manchester United are undoubtably the stronger of the two teams. Liverpool’s chemistry is there, but they have significant weaknesses at the back.
Players of Zlatan and Paul Pogba’s calibre should be able to exploit these weaknesses, if Jose Mourinho deploys his team correctly.
Marcus Rashford has continued his hot streak. Eric Bailly is still playing as one of the best defenders in the league. Let’s not forget Wayne Rooney’s presence on the bench may be an important one.
It’s the big games like these that United’s new stars need to show up for. Frankly, they didn’t against Manchester City.
Though we’re only in October, it feels like the title could slip significantly from United’s reach. Convincingly or not, should they fail to win against Liverpool, that title that Mourinho must so desperately want, will slide further still.
This classic rivalry offers a look at how United’s season is set to play out. Will they reestablish themselves as one of the top four teams in England? A bar thats rise has been well documented?
Or will they continue to disappoint compared to the dominant Manchester United teams of years past? While no title or trophy hangs on the result of this game, it may be the most telling result of how the season is set to play out.
Will United gel, find their groove, and begin to boss around the other historic houses of English football as a team with the payroll and level of talent they have should?
We’ll find out Monday, at Anfield.