There is more pressure on Liverpool to win, according to Jamie Carragher
Liverpool take on arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday, in a game that could have massive repercussions for the away side. The Reds are – once again – in a transitional period, with Jurgen Klopp still trying to find out about his current squad. But United manager, Louis Van Gaal, has spent a fortune on his squad and has yet to show any signs of clawing their place at the top of the table back.
But bizarrely, former Liverpool vice captain Jamie Carragher thinks that all of the pressure is on Liverpool. According to the Sky Sports pundit, Carragher reckons that, should Man Utd lose on Sunday, it wouldn’t put them out of the race for the top-4.
Should Liverpool lose though, they could fall further behind the chasing pack and put themselves in too difficult a position. Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ, Carragher said: “If Liverpool win, it doesn’t mean United are out of the top-four race.
“But I think if United win and maybe if the other teams around United get a good result it will put a bit of a gap between themselves and Liverpool.
“It may make it very difficult then for Liverpool to get into the top four.
“So you could say that, in terms of top-four positions, there’s more pressure on Liverpool in terms of the game, but not the situation both managers find themselves in.
“Jurgen Klopp’s new to the job, but Louis van Gaal is 18 months in and has spent a lot of money so I think there will be more eyes on Man United and Louis van Gaal and what that result will mean for him, whether he gets the victory or the defeat.”
While the former Liverpool defender is probably not far off the mark, with regards it being more difficult for the Reds to make up ground after a defeat, it would also put United in a difficult position should they lose.
Having seen already this season how Van Gaal’s side can spiral after a big defeat, it’s not unthinkable that the same could happen again. It is perhaps even less hard to conceive that another big defeat could end the Dutchman’s reign, leaving United in limbo as they look to appoint a third manager in less than three years.
Either way, it’s a huge game for both sides, and a first win at his first attempt against Man Utd could be the launch-pad Klopp needs to see his team kick on, after an impressive attacking display against Arsenal on Wednesday night.
