Manchester United v Liverpool | Sunday 7 April | Old Trafford | 16:30
Are we in for another epic clash between these two bitter, bitter rivals? Just a few weeks ago the world watched as United dumped Liverpool from the FA cup and effectively ended Jurgen Klopp’s fairytale ending at Anfield…is there a bit of revenge in the air then?
To Win (90 mins)
Manchester United 28/10
Draw 3/1
Liverpool 15/20
Manchester United
In the preparation for this game, I’ve seen time and time again, that the powers that be at United want to replace Erik ten Hag. Yes, I agree the narrative is damaging and disrespectful, but this is simply par for the course. United are one of (if not the) biggest club and commercial topic in world football – there will always be talk.
Furthermore, I think those first 20 minutes against Liverpool in the FA Cup was the best football United have played all season. They faltered in the second half, and then came back and registered a brilliant final 30 minutes to book a spot in the final four of the FA Cup.
The shock for me though is this, when you contrast that performance with what they did against Brentford, and then do the same to the Chelsea fixture earlier this week, you see inconsistency at a criminal level! There are a lot of players in that squad who often need to look at their work rate and commitment to a structure before chucking the manager under the bus.
As I’ve previously said, and I’ll happily say again, the attacking players at United have been really impressive insofar as their connectivity is concerned. The problem of course (yes, even at the risk of sounding like a stuck record) is that they simply cannot keep a clean sheet.
Liverpool
There is no doubt that these Liverpool players, and their fans, will want to see a massive response here. Do not, even for a second, underestimate the fierce rivalry between these two sides and the role that plays in the fixture.
Liverpool wants to win the League and so these are vital points. Mo Salah has not necessarily been at his level best in recent times, what better way than to remind everyone of his ability than in a fixture of this magnitude.
Liverpool will surely fancy their chances on Sunday, they will know that United are going to look to counter everything with pace and attack the space the Reds often concede in behind their defensive line – I wonder what that does to the way Jurgen Klopp will want to attack.
For what it’s worth, the previous game has set this one up wonderfully and created a little bit of “stick or twist”.
Prediction: BTTS: Yes + Over 2.5 goals (6/10)
I think this is the safest bet available here. From a United perspective, their attacking ability has been really impressive and yet they cannot keep a clean sheet. From a Liverpool perspective, they defensive prowess hasn’t been as solid as we might be used to, their attacking threats might not necessarily be firing on all cylinders, but the quality in both areas is undeniable.
Ryan Liberty