So after a first encounter with a big team last weekend we now face their small neighbours (ho ho ho). A game against Liverpool needs no spicing up from me…this is THE game…and when won, there is no feeling quite like it…
As per usual I will kick off with looking at our guests. Under a new manager, Roy Hodgson, Liverpool have not had a particularly special start to the season. The early table shows them 13th with 5 points from four games a goal difference of -2. They arrive on Sunday with their star players rested up after a Thursday night off from work – it seems strange to think we know longer will be facing a Liverpool team that play in the higher echelons of European football.
After a poor year it’s important to remember that four things remain at Liverpool – Reina, Carragher, Gerrard and Torres. Four key players whose presence runs through the core of that team. The experience they contain and the class that they can turn on in a second means that although Liverpool may have been reduced to a team battling for the Europa League, they still have match winners and can still be a threat. I think for this reason if makes the game even more exciting. In matches with intense rivalry there is often the FA Cup-style unpredictability in the sense that either team could just upset the other regardless of form and league position; but to play against a rival that still has such top quality players makes it all the more thrilling.
Liverpool had a busy summer transfer window – there are 6 new first team additions (8 if you want to include young Danny Wilson and Jonjo Shelvey). Brad Jones, Paul Konchesky, Christian Poulsen, Milan Jovanovic, Raul Meireles and Joe Cole don’t all suggest top signings but certainly the latter two are interesting additions. Joe Cole scored one of the goals that ended up making a difference to the destination of the Premier League trophy last season – I know that as a free transfer I’d have been happy had we added him to our squad.
As their league position at this early stage suggests, Liverpool’s league form has been unconvincing. A draw at Birmingham, a 1-0 win home to West Brom and a 3-0 drubbing handed out to them by Man City shows nothing to fear. Furthermore they played on Thursday night, United have had two days more rest than Liverpool. Expect Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Gerrard, Lucas, Jovanovic and Torres to all return having not been involved from the start against Steaua Bucharest though.
I think that’s enough about Liverpool’s form and their players; we know what to expect…
…so onto my predicted line up this week:
I think there will be eight changes from the team that drew with Rangers. Only Fletcher, Rooney and Ferdinand will remain. I include Ferdinand from the start despite him only playing just over 135mins this season. His class shone on Tuesday night even if he didn’t have much to do and with plenty of time to prepare for Sunday he should be good to play. I put the question of whether Rio will start to my Twitter followers and 100% of the responses I got were for him to start.
At his press conference this morning, Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed that Berbatov would return. His form so far this season has had fans talking about him for the right reasons; going into this game he’s the player I’ll be most excited to be watching. The Scholes/Fletcher partnership has been very successful so far and I can’t envisage that being teetered with.
Following the bad injury to Valencia sustained against Rangers (and the somewhat better news that he could be back in training in 5 months, this morning), Nani will have an opportunity to shine on the wing he prefers. I have plumped for Giggs over Park, merely as I think he offers more of a threat at home.
The one position I’m a bit undecided on is right back. I have picked O’Shea as he has been involved in every league game so far and he has experience. However, I wonder if Rafael may be selected as a more attacking option – goals will be the name of the game on Sunday. I guess Gary Neville could still play, he’ll like nothing more than to be involved in a home victory against the team he so famously dislikes.
The team I have gone for is strong in every department. They will want to put the two draws against Everton and Rangers very much to bed with a win. Beating Liverpool would signal back-to-back wins against our bitter foes for the first time since 2007/08. Our form against them has been poor of late – the games have been littered with red cards (sadly Mascherano has now left Liverpool) and horrors of Torres vs. Vidic.
Towards the end of last season a diving Ji-Sung Park header (yes, a diving header!) sealed a much needed win, Liverpool had won the last 3 previous league meetings. It seemed strange to have such a poor run, prior to that United were unbeaten in 8 league meetings, it was in 2003/04 that Liverpool got a rare win at Old Trafford.
Before I make a prediction just a few things to bring to your attention:
– This game against Liverpool has been billed ‘Old Shirts Day’ as a protest against the current ownership; Telegraph journalist, Mark Ogden recently mentioned it in an article which you can read here
– On Saturday night before the match, friend and hero of Stretford-End.com, David May is putting on one of his United Nights at Walkabout, Manchester, for only £20 – for more information view his site or tweet him
– Just in case you didn’t already know, we have recently launched a free iPhone app which I strongly recommend, of course!
– Share with us your thoughts and your favourite moments from games at home to Liverpool on our forum – my favourite home game is the 1996/97 one where Beckham scored the only goal (it was my first live experience of this fixture)
In summary; we should not underestimate this Liverpool team even if their start to the season has been poor. These games are always electric and somewhat unpredictable. United should be confident as our early season form has been very good and we will have a strong starting XI. Therefore I predict a Manchester United win, with the score of 2-0.
Just as a little end note I thought I’d remind you how beating Liverpool in the last minute at home looks, and what it means: