Mar 20
Manchester United vs Liverpool: Preview
Manchester United welcome great rivals Liverpool to Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon just over a year from the 4-1 result last season.
At that time Liverpool were real title challengers to United but in the end finished only four points behind the eventual champions. However, this time round Rafa Benitez’s side are way of the table–toppers’ pace, which could see them fail to finish fourth, thus missing out on the Champions League.
Sir Alex Ferguson, in his pre-match press conference was less than complimentary about the Reds’ and feels they are a team past their best:
“Did they over-perform? Yes. I think they did very well. When they got that run going they showed form and consistency,” said Ferguson
“I don’t know what they are mired in.
“I think that their challenge last year was championship form, but sometimes a team peaks with that particular team and sometimes it’s difficult to do again.”
Manchester United will enter the fray with a somewhat settled side. Edwin van der Sar will no doubt be in goal as per usual with a strong United defence in front of him. It has been 699 minutes of league football since we last conceded at home, when Gabriel Agbonlahor scored for Aston Villa in a 1-0 win on 12 December.
Starting at the back for the Red Devils will be first choice pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic; lets hope the Serbian can stay on the field for the full ninety minutes this time as he has been sent off in the last three matches between United and Liverpool. The left-back slot will be Patrice Evra’s as normal, though Ferguson will have a choice to make at right-back, the youthful exuberance of Rafael or the experience of club captain Gary Neville?
Wes Brown and John O’Shea are still sidelined. Though Jonny Evans has recovered from injury and will be on the bench for Sunday’s game.
A five-man midfield will probably be deployed as Ferguson looks to win the midfield battle. Antonio Valencia will resume right midfield duties, and Nani on the left with both expected to support lone striker Wayne Rooney. The midfield will probably line up with Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher and Ji-Sung Park all in the middle. The Korean will probably be given the role of keeping Steven Gerrard quiet, similar to the job he did against Andrea Pirlo in the Champions League.
Ryan Giggs has recovered from his broken wrist and is available for selection, though he will probably start on the bench, alongside fellow veteran Paul Scholes. Owen Hargreaves made his long awaited comeback for the reserves on Thursday but he is well short of match fitness still, so he wont play a part.
Wayne Rooney will look to continue his fine form against Liverpool, his 25th league goal against Fulham saw him equal Ruud van Nistelrooy’s best ever league tally for United.
Liverpool make the trip to Old Trafford without Martin Skrtel, out with a metatarsal injury and Albert Riera, suspended by the club for comments made against Rafa Benitez. Alberto Aquilani is also doubtful following a stomach bug, which kept him out of the Europa League clash with Lille. Fabio Aurelio will also face a late fitness test to determine if he has recovered sufficiently from a thigh injury.
Liverpool are desperate for points to help them in their quest for fourth place, but Dirk Kuyt still wants to dent United’s title charge:
“No one here at Liverpool wants to see them winning another league title but the main thing for us is to win our own games,” Kuyt told the Reds’ official website.
The left side of Liverpool’s midfield could see one of either Ryan Babel, Yossi Benayoun or Maxi Rodriguez start the game, though Maxi played a blinder against Portsmouth last weekend, so he looks to be in pole position.
Fernando Torres has scored four goals in the last week and will line-up against old foe Vidic still short of match fitness, even Benitez thinks he will find it tough,
“Vidic is a good player with experience so it will be tough for Torres to beat him but hopefully he can do it,” the Reds manager commented.
In these clashes form goes out the window, but with Liverpool looking a shadow of the side that pushed United so close last year, we must be favorites. Liverpool are without an away league win in their last five games and have lost the last two of three, as well as failing to score in their last four away matches.
United on the other hand are somewhat impenetrable at Old Trafford, whilst scoring 26 goals in the last seven league matches at Old Trafford.
Prediction: 2-0 United
Probable Line Up: van der Sar, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Neville; Valencia, Carrick, Fletcher, Park, Nani; Rooney
***
Betfair, Manchester United’s official betting partner, are offering you a totally free £5 bet to place on the United-Liverpool game.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- Porto it is then…
- Portsmouth Preview
- Some Reading Material Ahead of Grand Slam Sunday
- Manchester United 2006/2007 Season Review
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (89)
Craig Mc (26)
Ian (18)
@Grognard: I expect us to get 3 points from the game but agree that the lineup is anyones guess with Bayern away on Tuesday and then Chelsea to follow.
Like?
0 
0
@rsg: Thank God, I hate that show
Like?
0 
0
@rsg: I’m a big fan and yes I already know. In fact I predicted it because this season has been so poor. Just awful this year, really. Show ran out of ideas and just looks tired and lazy and uses the same old plot lines from past seasons. How fed up I have become with the mole inside CTU story every bloody season. What a joke.
Like?
0 
0
@rsg: Fergie would have to be an idiot to not rest most of the starting eleven and mostly Rooney who is favoring a wonky knee to begin with. If we are supposed to be champions, then we need to expect our bench to fight and bring one home for us at a time like this. One thing we have always had was a good bench but I said this two weeks ago, Chelsea being knocked out of Europe has given them a major advantage in the race for the EPL title. They don’t have two games coming up against Bayern and how we recover after each one of those games will determine our lot.
Like?
0 
0
@Johnsom33: How can you hate 24? What’s there not to like with all the great forms of violence and torture?
As a bleeding heart liberal I have to say the show did bring out the conservative in me because Jack Bauer is my hero. I am looking at my Jack Bauer action figure diorama on top of my book shelf right now. At least he will be coming back in 2 hour movies. I guess the show will have to be renamed “2″. 
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: To be honest I’ve never actually seem a full episode. I’ve just seen bits and pieces of it, I wasn’t impressed to say the least.
Like?
0 
0
@Johnsom33: I hated the show too. Seemed like they made up the story line on the fly.
Watched the the first series, but it became so tedious I could hardly watch it without cringing!
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Chelsea need every advantage they can get – I think they’ve only got 4 fit defenders in their squad right now!!
Maybe they’ll blow the FAC semi, clear their schedule completely, and have a well rested run-in for the title!
Like?
0 
0
In all honesty, when I think about United, Chelsea and Arsenal, their respective schedules, injuries and form – UNITED TO WIN FORTH CONSECUTIVE TITLE!!
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: You mean the show brings out the bigot in you — please do not take offense here.. I am NOT saying you are a bigot but that is all I can see the show bring out in people! That show is so racist and laden with typical hollywood racist arab/muslim/islam stereotypes. The producer of the show is the same guy who, just before the US 2008 presidential election, made a “fear terrorism/arabs” DVD and mailed every american household a free copy… people who live off of making people fear other cultures rub me the wrong way. He is one of them. No offense to people who watch the show, they are wise enough to make their own judgements.
Like?
0 
0
@Johnsom33: A tone time it was one hell of a good show and quite the adrenaline rush. But it ran out of ideas and started to repeat itself over the last couple of seasons.
Like?
0 
0
@Redrich: My concern is United’s congested schedule and the fact they are playing for more than one prize. As for Arsenal, well they are no threat as I see them as a soft side who will fold when the pressure truly starts. Arshavin is right about them.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Annoying that the networks decide to get rid of the good shows like The Unit, but will persist with a lot of rubbish like game shows, talk shows and reality TV, that will probably replace 24.
However, 24 has probably ran its course and you can imagine the cost that goes into producing a series. The quality has stepped down lately, season by season and the show started competing with itself, always trying to do something bigger than last time around. Still no way I could stop watching and abandon the show out of absolute loyalty to Jack Bauer.
Like?
0 
0
@[OPTI]Madschester United: It brings out the protectionist in people. I admit it brings out the conservative in me and that may actually bring out bias and bigotry in me not out of ignorance but out of sheer mistrust. I am not for Abu Garaib style torture but the fact is, under the scenarios depicted in the show where Jack has only minutes or hours to save the (western) world from annihilation, I find myself screaming at the tc set and telling him to kick the hell out of that scumbag until he talks. Then the show ends and reality sets in and I once again leave my escapist world and enter reality again. It is after all escapism mate and for those who do not see that, well then they are just being as biased and bigoted as the show but in a reverse manner. I have seen Iran and other Middle Eastern countries produce some pretty disgusting and biased anti West BS too. So it goes both ways. After all, when it’s all said and done, we didn’t knock down their two towers down now did we? Personally I am all for castrating terrorists, and I don’t care where they are from.
Like?
0 
0
@rsg: Don’t get me started on Reality tv mate. Personally I have an idea for a new season of “24″ where Jack Bauer leads an assault against all realty tv shows and where he leaves nobody involved alive to ever create rubbish like that again. Above all, I would demand he use special slow torture techniques against the heads of those shows. I’d call that saving America and improving it’s sense of good taste and values.
Jack Bauer is my hero even if the show got on my nerves more than one time. I mean how many times does the man have to save the country and the Presidency before he gets an ounce of fucking respect and appreciation? After a while I kept telling him to turn on the country for treating him so poorly.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Because of the Chelsea game sandwiched in between I would have preferred the 1/4 Final 1st leg at home then travel away for 2nd. But you play the cards that your dealt, at least we’re only traveling to Munich and not Moscow and back.
Like?
0 
0
@rsg: @Grognard: SAF is a proven master of manipulating things during the hectic final months of the season.
He is used to increased pressure, and so are the majority of the team.
He will turn all this anxiety into a flow of adrenaline that will see us through to the end.
I hope!!
Like?
0 
0
@rsg: Truthfully, I’d prefer a trip to Moscow as the competition would have been easier. Bayern at Munich scares me. But we should prevail nonetheless.
Like?
0 
0
@Redrich: It’s all about motivation but mostly, it’s about depth. A deep roster is so important at this time of the season. Berbatov, Giggs, Evans and all those other bench players are going to have to be massive for us down the stretch.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Nothing more exciting than watching Jack Bauer take names and kick ass, there’s still Larry David’s mischief-making to look forward to.
Like?
0 
0
It will be good to see Giggs back although Park has done well in his absence. Who would you guys prefer out of the two, in the Attacking Midfielder/SS free role?
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Nah, Gourcuff is more intelligent than your average run of the mill talented spoilt Madrid obsessed urchin *cough*Benzema*cough*
He knows about the disillusion a young player can face from signing with a european giant and not given time to adapt from his time with Milan. The fact that he’s chosen to sign on with Bordeaux when many other top european teams were eyeing him is a sign of maturity.
If he signs for us, I can easily see him ending his career here.
ITs all about personality really. Top this day, I’m not so sure about Rio. Would he be tempted if Madrid or Barca came knocking? Fletch or Evra, on the other hand I’ve got no doubts. And I’d reckon Gourcuff too.
Like?
0 
0
@rsg: I’m not sure who is capable of great torture, Bauer or Larry David. What I’d like to see is Bauer actually waterboard Larry David. I think it would all give us hope and satisfaction.
Like?
0 
0
@NicoQB: Biggest problem is that too many French kids grew up idolizing Zidane and not too many did that with Cantona. Add to that Zidane’s high profile role with Madrid where Cantona has no role with United and Madrid has a seducer ready to sway French talent to that team. Make no mistake, this form of salesmanship works on players because at the end of the day, footballers are not rocket scientists and are swayed easily by emotion and stupid motivations. It worked on Benzema and it will work on Ribery too. If United were smart they would utilize Cantona more in this kind of role.
Like?
0 
0