da esoccer bet： Premier League ties don’t come much more exciting that Manchester United vs. Liverpool. The great North West rivals are, arguably, the nation’s two biggest teams, with their supporter bases extending well beyond the confines of their own cities, country and indeed continent.
da bwin： Granted, the pair’s 0-0 ‘Red Monday’ – as Sky Sports so fate-temptingly dubbed it – meeting earlier this season did little to raise pulses, but the return clash at Old Trafford is sure to be a humdinger – which is why we’ve made it our Fixture in Focus.
A lot has changed for both clubs in the months since, with Liverpool having kicked on to make title dreams seem like a genuine possibility, while Man United have now settled under Jose Mourinho, who showed a baffling eagerness to escape Anfield with a point earlier in the campaign.
Jurgen Klopp’s Merseysiders have not been in great form over the course of the past few weeks, but the German is sure to be heading down the M62 with aims of getting one over his side’s biggest rivals, and we here at FootballFanCast have come up with a how-to-guide for a Liverpool win.
What starting XI should Klopp field? Who will be his key man? How can Man United be got at? We answer the above, and more, here…
Formation: 4-3-3
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Liverpool have been battling against injuries and a notable AFCON absence in the shape of Sadio Mane over the course of the past few weeks, but, all being well, Klopp should have a relatively healthy squad to pick from at Old Trafford. With the likes of Joel Matip and Jordan Henderson set to be fit, while Philippe Coutinho returned from his injury absence in the EFL Cup loss to Southampton on Wednesday, we’re expecting the fluid 4-3-3 of the earlier months of this season to be back, but with a couple of tweaks.
Mane’s absence remains an issue, but with Daniel Sturridge having done little to justify a starting berth of late, Klopp could go with Roberto Firmino as the most central attacker, while we think that Coutinho will be thrust into the XI on the left. Interestingly, Adam Lallana, although so impressive in a central midfield berth this season, might well take the last spot up top, with that performance at Manchester City last term still held up as the blueprint of Klopp’s Liverpool – the two Brazilians and the Englishman ran riot on November 21 2015.
Further back, Emre Can, Georginio Wijnaldum and skipper Henderson should make up the midfield three, assuming the latter is passed fit, and behind them Matip will replace Ragnar Klavan, who was hot and cold over the festive period.
The only other call left to really discuss is in goal, but we believe Simon Mignolet will keep his spot, even though Loris Karius did well vs. Southampton in the EFL Cup.
Man United’s weakness: Phil Jones and Chris Smalling
Man United have been impressive of late, with much of their fine form down to Mourinho settling on defensive and midfield set-ups after a period of rooting through his options to see what stuck. Alas, he will be without Eric Bailly (AFCON) and the injured Marcos Rojo for this clash and will have to field Chris Smalling and Phil Jones again – as he did vs. Hull in the EFL Cup.
The two Englishman are by no means poor players, but their limited game time together means that the fluid movement of Coutinho, Lallana and Firmino may cause them headaches, with positioning and communication key when it comes to nullifying the Reds’ star trio. Klopp will need his attacking triumvirate to pull the two apart and disrupt what has been a pretty solid Man United rearguard.
The key man: Jordan Henderson
Premier League | 2016/17 so far…
Successful passes – 1,391
Accurate long balls – 121
Pass success – 87%
‘Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone’. We’ll spare you anymore Joni Mitchell lyrics, but Liverpool have missed Henderson of late. The Reds’ skipper hobbled out of the New Year’s Eve win over Manchester City, and since then the Reds are without a victory having drawn with Sunderland and Plymouth before suffering defeat at Southampton during the week.
Henderson is not without his critics, but his passing stats this season are genuinely fantastic and one of the driving forces behind Liverpool’s rise. Indeed, no player in the Premier League can better his 1,391 accurate passes this season, and with 121 of those having been completed long balls, the Englishman is not merely a midfield crab who endlessly moves the ball across the centre of the pitch.
As well as this, he drops in to support his centre-backs when Liverpool are on the attack, allowing the full-backs to push on and, in turn, get the wide forwards into central roles, letting them swap positions and cause headaches for opposing defenders. Emre Can, Lucas and Kevin Stewart were tasked with the role in the three games Henderson has missed, and none have come close to matching the ex-Sunderland man’s unique blend of energy, composure and leadership.
Man United’s big threat: Juan Mata
Man United have threats all over the pitch (they’re a good football team, after all), and while the likes of Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic will have to be dealt with, with think Juan Mata will need special attention. There’s no guarantee that the Spaniard will start – Jose Mourinho is a manager who likes to spring surprises – but given his performances over the last four games, he really should be in the XI – our readers think so, too (below) – as either a wide attacking midfielder or the No.10, depending on Pogba’s role.
Over the course of his last four games, the playmaker has netted twice and laid on two assists, but it’s not just the headline numbers that are impressive, with a pass completion of 87% showing that he is threading the play together, while seven key passes and 13 crosses hint that he’s really weighing in in an attacking sense.
Depending which flank he plays from, Nathaniel Clyne or James Milner will have to be responsible enough to stick with him, and not grant him the space to cut inside or whip balls to Ibrahimovic and Pogba.