One of the most anticipated matches of the season. Liverpool host Manchester United this Saturday lunchtime and for both teams this fixture is vital for keeping up with ‘the Big Six’ early on in the season.
Liverpool look to end their dismal form of just one win in two months since their big win against Arsenal and are yet to keep a clean sheet since then. Whereas the white hot Red Devils are looking for a seventh consecutive win and to maintain their unbeaten Premier League season with something from this fixture at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side are still without long-term absentees Adam Lallana and Nathaniel Clyne and now with Sadio Mané out for six weeks Jurgen Klopp may choose to play one of Liverpool’s few in-form players, Phillipe Coutinho on the left-wing and Roberto Firmino to return to the starting line-up. Simon Mignolet would hope to keep his starting place having conceded 12 goals from just 31 shots on target while Lovren and Matip attempt to re-find a decent partnership as they had for periods of last season.
Manchester United are still without Marcos Rojo, Michael Carrick, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Paul Pogba but José Mourinho may choose to start Ander Herrera to partner with Nemanja Matić in the heart of midfield and as always the left wing of Manchester United is always a mystery before the line-ups are announced with both Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial battling for starting places.
A question that is still in doubt is whether the Manchester United boss will choose to defend deep and play for a draw as he orchestrated in this fixture last year or go out all guns blazing at a low-confidence Liverpool side who are conceding goals left, right and centre. It seems that Liverpool’s tactics are simple; score more than United and show off their attacking prowess.
Despite Liverpool’s home advantage, the Red Devils would hope to gain something from this famous fixture with their solid defence in only conceding six goals in eleven games and strength and pace in attack and to torture Liverpool’s dire defence with the attacking prowess of the side that have scored 33 goals in all competitions and claim a needed victory to keep up with the very noisy neighbours who have showed they can beat Big Six teams with victories against both Liverpool and Chelsea
Predicted Line-ups:
LIVERPOOL FC:
Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Lovren, Alberto Moreno, Henderson, Can, Wijnaldum, Salah, Coutinho, Firmino
MANCHESTER UNITED FC:
De Gea, Valencia, Bailly, Jones, Young, Matic, Herrera, Mata, Mkhitaryan, Rashford, Lukaku
Written by Arjun Handa
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