The Premier League is back this weekend and it the biggest game of all is waiting for us as Liverpool take on Manchester United this lunchtime.
A clash that needs no introduction, the two biggest sides in the country are ready to lock horns again with both aiming for a Premier League title win this season.
Certainly, United have started the better this year but we can close the gap up from seven points to four points with a confidence-boosting victory over our arch-rivals.
For sure, they’re stronger than they have been in recent years but so are we, even if our recent form has not been up to scratch in the last few weeks.
Even so, we should be up for this game and so we’ve been thinking about where it is going to be won and lost – starting with our defence.
The Reds have certainly not been good enough going backwards and we need to be switched on here. We’re likely going to have more of the possession and more chances – as we are at home – and that has meant at times this season that the defence has lost concentration.
Do that against United, and we’ll be in real trouble with them good enough to see out the result, with United 7/4 to get the win with 888sport.
The other big talking point for this game, of course, is how we’re going to deal with Sadio Mane but it is fair to say that this season we are best equipped to try and get by without him.
His pace will be a miss, yes, but it means United won’t defend as deep as they might, meaning we could have more space for the likes of Philippe Coutinho to exploit.
Meanwhile, we’ve got Mo Salah who is bang in form at the moment and carries more than enough pace to compensate for the lack of the Senegalese.
Indeed, we’ve got the same kind of dynamic as last season going forwards with Coutinho likely going to be more advanced with Roberto Firmino and the Egyptian.
It means we’ll be more balanced in midfield and the link up between Coutinho and Firmino is always exciting, though we’ve not been able to see that as much as we’d have liked this year.
Defend well, then, and bring the attacking dynamic of last season and we’ve got a chance – especially with another raucous Anfield crowd behind the Reds – and we cannot wait for kick-off.
Thoughts, Reds? Let us know below!
