Manchester United vs Liverpool: This is how Solskjaer can beat Klopp

Manchester United travel to Anfield to play the league leaders in one of the biggest derby games of recent times. Here’s what they need to do to win.

Imagine this. A chorus of cacophonous noise. Endless roaring chants. Fans stomping and jumping up and down. Crunch tackles on the pitch. Scuffles and shoves and taunting words. Goals. Drama. Elation. Despair. These are the quintessential elements of derby day and when it comes to derbies it doesn’t come bigger than Manchester United against Liverpool.

Since the 60s the two teams have fought against one another for the domination of English football. They are two of the biggest clubs in Britain with a rich and illustrious history and a hoard of trophies in their cabinet.

The two teams despise one another perhaps even more so than their closely situated rivals in Everton and Manchester City. It stems from the rivalry of the two industrial Northern cities.

Whilst the Red Devils dominated much of British football until the end of the 2010s after Liverpool’s fall from plight in the 1990s, the heralding of 2020s has seen Liverpool become the major force of English football once again. There has rarely ever been such a mighty gap between the two clubs as the 27 point deficit which stands between them in the Premier League right now.

It is a deficit Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who played in plenty of derbies as a player, will be desperate to just snip away a tiny little bit.

But that will be no mean feat. Liverpool have made Anfield a fortress. The club haven’t lost a single game in over 1000 days at home.

The Kop makes the atmosphere frightening for any visiting team.

Meanwhile the Red Devils have been far from where they want to be this season. Yet there is a flicker of hope in the dying ambers.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have been the only team to prevent Jurgen Klopp’s Reds from gaining victory this season when Liverpool visited Old Trafford last year.

Solskjaer performed a tactical masterclass in the game deploying a compact midfield and solidifying his defence. His clever instructions to run in behind Liverpool on the counter worked a treat to secure a draw for the Red Devils with Marcus Rashford pouncing on a Daniel James cross. The Red Devils frustrated Liverpool on the night with their stubborn defending, keeping plenty of players behind the ball and capitalising on Liverpool mistakes to surge forward.

It is the same tactic Solskjaer will have to deploy on Sunday. The Liverpool defence haven’t been as solid as they were last season and they can be exploited with counter attacking football and pace running in behind.

If the Red Devils have any hope of a victory they will need the injury doubt Marcus Rashford who has had the better of Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold several times in the past. His pace, and his ruthlessness in front of goal will be an absolute must.

If Solskjaer plays Rashford and deploys his counter attacking style United may have a chance of getting a result at Anfield.

What do you think can Manchester United cause an upset against Liverpool?