Feb 11
United Look to Lay Lashing on Liverpool
There’s something about today’s opponents that seems a little familiar. Oh, that’s because there is. The latest installment of the Manchester United-Liverpool rivalry was only two weeks ago, and after Liverpool nabbed a late win at Anfield that day, United are aiming for revenge in the form of a crucial league win at home today.
Valentine’s Day is next week, but there isn’t a lot of love between these two sides, so today’s encounter is sure to be a tense one. The backstory that is Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez facing off for the first time since their now-infamous interactions in October is garnering plenty of headlines coming in, understandably, but it shouldn’t distract from the fact that this is a crucial match for both sides and that a United win will put all the pressure on City to match the result tomorrow.
RECENT HISTORY
- United have won each of the last three home meetings with Liverpool, including two last season, a 3-2 league win and a 1-0 win in the third round of the FA Cup.
- United are 6-0-1 in their last seven home league meetings with Liverpool, with the only defeat being a 4-1 setback in March 2009.
TEAM ANALYSIS
Liverpool
1. After a 0-0 home draw with Tottenham on Monday, Liverpool find themselves seventh in the Premier League table with 39 points from 24 matches, but they’re only four points back of fourth-placed Chelsea in a tight race for fourth, with Newcastle (42) and Arsenal (40) both in the thick of the hunt as well.
2. A large part of the reason that Liverpool are bringing up the rear in the race for seventh instead of leading it is that they’ve been at home this season what United were away from home last season. Liverpool are unbeaten at home this season, but that unbeaten record consists of eight draws – all either 0-0 or 1-1 – and only four wins.
However, they’ve partly compensated for their lack of home wins by getting some big results away from home. Liverpool are 6-1-5 away from home this season, with two of those six wins being at Arsenal and at Chelsea. Also, Liverpool have recorded wins at Chelsea and City on the way to reaching this month’s Carling Cup final, in which they’ll face Championship side Cardiff.
3. It’s especially been an issue at home, but Liverpool haven’t scored with any consistency this season, despite the presence of some quality attacking talent. They’ve scored only 28 goals this season, 14 at home and 14 away from home, which ranks 12th in the league. Craig Bellamy leads Liverpool in goals with six, while Luis Suarez, who needs no introduction to United fans, has five.
4. Defensively, Liverpool have been impressive, as they’re second behind City in goals allowed with only 21. 13 of those goals have been allowed away from home, though it’s worth noting that they gave up three goals in consecutive matches at City and Bolton before blanking Wolves 3-0 in their last away fixture and that 10 of those 13 goals have been allowed in three games, those two defeats and a 4-0 defeat at Tottenham in September.
Those three games are the only times all season that Liverpool have allowed multiple goals in a league game, and it’s also worth noting that before the 3-0 defeat at City in early January, Liverpool hadn’t allowed multiple goals in their previous 14 league games.
Also, Liverpool have ten clean sheets in the league this season, with six of those coming away from home. If United score today, as they have in their last 42 home league games, it will bode well for their hopes for a win, as Liverpool are 1-0-5 in away games in which the opponent has scored, with the only win being their 2-1 win at Chelsea in November.
Manchester United
1. United are now two points back of City at the top of the Premier League table, but they’ll come into this weekend with a great deal of confidence for today and beyond. It’s not often that a draw will create excitement and generate momentum, but when you come back from 3-0 down in the second half to secure said draw against one of the league’s top leagues, it will do just that.
United need to build off of the momentum from Sunday’s thrilling comeback and make a real statement against Liverpool. Defeat at Anfield was extremely disappointing, but it’s a match that United could have and perhaps even should have won, and at home, you have to expect United to really put in a top-notch performance. With City facing a tricky trip to Aston Villa on Sunday, this weekend represents an opportunity to, at the very least, make up any numerical ground that was lost last weekend.
2. United have scored 59 goals this season, second behind City’s league-leading 63. 35 of those 59 goals have been scored in 12 home matches, with 16 of those 35 coming in United’s last five home ties.
3. As statistics help indicate, United have been dangerous in attack lately, and as stingy as Liverpool’s defense has been to this point, United will have a fair share of opportunities in attack today. Antonio Valencia performed well at Anfield two weeks ago, and he should be in line for a quality performance today at home. Valencia didn’t have as dominant of a performance against Chelsea as might have been expected with Ashley Cole absent, but he’s been in fine, fine form for the last few months, and that will continue today.
4. United’s prowess in attack will further be boosted by the welcome return of Tom Cleverley, who’s set to feature today after playing barely over an hour of Premier League football over the last five months due to his ankle. How much of an impact he’ll have is a mystery, but we know what potential he has and what he showed earlier this season before going down, so hope and hype are both understandably high.
Also on the injury front, Nani and Phil Jones are set to miss out today, but both should be back next Thursday when United visit Ajax in the Europa League. Can’t get them back soon enough, that’s for sure. Provided the injury bug doesn’t start cropping up once again (knock on wood), United will be in almost as good of a position as possible in regards to depth heading into the final few months of the season once Anders Lindegaard returns from his ankle injury.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Betting Tip: Will Valencia score against Fulham?
- United’s debt situation explained
- The Rosseneri’s lost cause – United v Milan
- Heinze Has Gotten On My Nerves
Tags: Manchester United Fixtures
Opti (541)
Stephen (485)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (348)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
Ramsey scored.
Someone’s gonna die tomorrow…
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@RedDevilEddy: @RedDevilEddy: Whitney Houston????
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Can’t believe the amount, or rather lack of, credit De Gea gets for his save in the last minute. Very similar to the save against Cahill last weekend, but unlike that one he was very covered today. Didn’t see the ball until very late, and it seemed to move a bit, absolutely brilliant save and got us the win. Brilliant!
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A Very good game in my opinion, both in terms of the football being served (well by us anyway) which was nice to see for a change against pool, and with all the events going on off the pitch before hand only making the game more intense, which i for one love and miss in football nowadays (everyone is just too pally these days).
We thoroughly deserved the win, and some more, and some of the football being played by valencia and scholes in particular was a joy to watch.
Cant quite believe giggsy though and his terrible wasting of possession time and time again, nor some of rio’s defending at times which was really poor. Nor can i quite believe the way dogleash made a right twat of himself in the post match interview, where he came across as really quite desperate at the end of it all. Almost felt quite sorry for him for a second.
Anyway a good win, lets just hope villa do us favour tomorrow, as i look forward to the game on thursday at ajax, which will hopefully see the return of clevs and more game time for the pog. Hopefully anyway.
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Roy Keane: “If I was playing, if Incey was playing, if Sparky was playing: Suarez ends the game wishing he’d shaken hands.”
Voted a great comment - Well Done poster.
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@RedDevilEddy: keano you boss
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Ou-ah Saha!
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@Opti: Adebayor 4 assists!!!!
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Latest coming out of the Liverpool camp is Evra “faking” the handshake, intentionally lowering his hand so that Suarez becomes the bad guy.
Wow. Seriously, wow. What’s a stronger word for deluded?
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@RedDevilEddy: where did u get that source?
because if that is true then they seriously an embarresment………
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@ash is the man: http://www.thisisanfield.com/2012/02/video-evra-refuses-suarez-handshake/?
I’m basically speechless….
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@RedDevilEddy: talk about clutching at straws- absolute joke- i mean actually trying to turn this on evra.
The fact is suraz should of shook evras hand and said’ sorry i made a mistake can we move on’
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Agreed. Absolutely.
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@ash is the man: they love him bc his face reminds them of their favorite snack.
truely loooow class people, and now orginazation.
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@RedDevilEddy:
illusions of grandeur
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@Opti: There it is!
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I tell you what though Eddy, having watched it closely again, Evra definitely offers his hand to every player in exactly the same way before Suarez and then, when Suarez turns up, his hand is in a completely different position. It’s no surprise he was probably in two minds but…..watch carefully and you can see why they’re suggesting it.
I’ve sat on the fence throughout this except when I suggested they’re as bad as each other. I regret that comment tbf BUT…..Evra’s a tricky little fooker himself, not a saint and likes to bend the rules himself now and again, it’s certainly not beyond the realms of possibility he was trying to make it difficult for Suarez.
Just my opinion for what it’s worth, but Evra has previous (at Stamford Bridge amongst other places and also has previous at International level too). I’m not saying he’s in the wrong far from it, but I certainly think he’s played his part in exacerbate/exescalating the issue.
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@Ian: I think we all know Evra’s no saint. People bring up the France World Cup protest, but that’s just one! Remember when Carrick scored against Wigan in 2009, he made his best Mad-Rafa impression with his arms, indicating “it is all over”. Saying it was men against kids after the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal, always having a very cheeky grin when United score, his comments in the press are often aimed at someone in a way that either winds you up or makes you laugh. That’s his personality. He’s a joker, but he’s an arrogant joker. He’s fucking French!
I don’t think he’s worth comparing to Cantona or even Henry, but he’s got massive similarities with them. He wants to be the best, if he isn’t he makes his feelings known, but if he is the best/victorious he’ll sound cocky. Where he differs from people like Pires, Henry, Wiltord even, is that he often tries to be funny.
I’ve got massive issues with the way he plays, but off the pitch I think we all know he is marvellous. He is great with all the lads, he loves the club, if something is happening in the changing room he will be involved with Wazza and/or Rio. To be fair I love him for that, and why I think he is a vital character in this team. But rival fans hate him, of course they do. As I said he’s got this French attitude, and when it comes to footballing terms it’s written: “As long as your own loves you, who cares what anyone thinks?” If he wasn’t a United player I’d probably hate him, he’s a real wind-up merchant and I doubt there are any doubts about that.
But today… I actually don’t think the pre-match handshake was his fault. Yeah he lowers his arm, but having seen it a few times it really looks as a natural movement. As soon as Suarez gets closer he starts to face him with his face and body, and instead of focusing on his hand he switches attention to the rest of his body. Voila, hand lowers a little. Not saying I don’t think he was in two minds, but nothing tells me that was intentionally. To me that’s a natural movement. His reactions at the end of the game were partly digusting, partly exhillerating, but I don’t like the fact that he sunk to their level. I can understand him of course, and the fact that it was Patrice makes it less surprising. But as a captain he should have acted better, which was dissapointing as he could have ended this game being a giant of a man leaving Suarez as the little rat he is. Instead…. Well, let’s just say it was dissapointing on his behalf.
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@RedDevilEddy: Saying that, it’s not as if he pulls it far away. He lowers it, but it’s so marginal it can’t even be counted. Definately not so much as for Suarez to pull away. Really, really sad by Liverpool.
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‘Not shaking someones hand is a massive honour in South America, and his Grandddad has hands so I don’t see what that niggers problem is’
Just an insight into tomorrows statement from Liverpools brilliant press release team.
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I can’t really say I’m proud of Patrice. Yeah he showed himself to be the bigger man by offering his hand of forgiveness to Suarez, but as soon as the game started you could see how much that fired him up. He went straight into Rio, then at half time he went looking for that racist to have a talk. It was obvious he had gotten into our captains’ head, which was dissapointing. His actions at the end of the game makes him look kinda poor too. On one side I can understand him, I can undestand why this victory meant so much to him and why he felt like celebrating in front of Suarez. The intensity of the game added to it as well, so I really understand him. Personally I would have done it myself I think! But on the other hand, it was very unproffessional. That’s just the thing, Evra isn’t me, he should have gone the high road and behaved himself. I’m not gonna say his reaction makes him look less of a captain, quite the opposite I think that reaction there shows exactly why he is at the moment! Gary, Keano, Bruce, Robson, Cantona… They’ve all been there and done that. It’s amazing to watch, not something we can pride ourselves of but it shows the passion.
I’m not ashamed by Patrice, but I’m not proud of him either. It’s hard to decide here, but I definately think I like him a little bit more!
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@RedDevilEddy: I am not ashamed of anything Patrice did during this “racist-gate” [American idiom to append "gate" to anything controversial due to the infamous "Watergate" scandal].
1. Evra did not make up statements — Suarez actually said what was charged. Liverpool denied and took siege-mentality as a middle name.
2. Liverpool did not appeal the 8 game ban yet held onto their claim of innocence.
3. Liverpool kept talking about it and Suarez never apologized.
4. Evra hasn’t commented on the case to media, nor did he wear T-shirts claiming to be a victim of an actual crime.
5. Evra does not change in hand position beyond normalcy and Suarez goes right past him with his hand [doesn't even look at Evra]
6. Liverpool fans “banter” Evra at Anfield. Evra doesn’t make a big deal about it
7. Evra wins the game [that is, his team wins] and he’s at home against a rival. He is 100% within his right to celebrate on the pitch in front of home fans [I think Liverpool had massive team celebrations after beating us in the FA Cup]. That he celebrates near exit tunnel may be a OTT, but nothing “wrong” with it or “unprofessional.” Rafael joined him in celebrations, no?
End: Liverpool are sore losers who cannot realize that they are a shadow of Shankley’s Liverpool so they come up with 19,000 excuses as to why they are that s**tty club they are and will never learn from their mistakes. Illusions of Grandeur and that’s a FACT.
Liverpool midtable. FACT!
Liverpool paid 35 million for a basketball player with long hair. FACT!
Liverpool will not win the league for the next decade. FACT!
Liverpool. Average players, trash mentalities. FACT!
/rant
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@Opti:
That’s just the thing. I think it’s sinking to their level, the way Patrice celebrated at the end. We’re not Newcastle or Blackburn, who make a DVD out of the game when they beat United, and as far as we were concerned this was just another game. I know that’s what Fergie wanted, that’s what all the players wanted. Evra, on the other hand, wanted to show his relief. He made it personal, and the way he did it went a little out of hand, and in a manner that Sir Alex didn’t want it to. He wanted to focus on the football, which both Patrice and Suarez managed to shade(a bit, we still were fucking marvellous). This wasn’t Pats’ day, this was Rooney’s day, only the second time in his United career that he’s scored against Liverpool at Old Trafford! Boyhood Everton fans, he hates them, and the celebrations really showed how much this meant to him. Still there’s very little talk of it, unfortunately
I’ll be getting to the football pretty soon though, gonna watch the game in re-run tonight and get the tactical analysis up tomorrow. Hope it’ll be a gem!
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@RedDevilEddy: I don’t think we sunk to any level. There is nothing wrong with celebrating — I mean, why should we white-wash the sport we love and make it so professional that you might as well let EA simulate the games or have robots battle it out. Enter-Whistle-Whistle-Exit is not how you define football… it’s (like you said) blood, sweat, and tears.
We’re humans and no one need to apologize when we get excited about actually winning a competitive game. It wasn’t like he ran around screaming and bouncing like a mad-man. Unlike Liverpool’s celebration, we actually got a reward that means something in May: 3 pts. They got to play in 5th round of FA Cup, which might not matter in May unless they win they FA Cup (which I don’t think they will). Different.
That Newcastle and Blackburn get excited, I fully understand. Average clubs over-achieving. Can you imagine randomly being picked to play in a game against Man City and scoring… how crazy would you go?
Opinons differ, but I stand with Patrice Evra and others who enjoy winning.
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@Opti: Good points!
To be fair, as I said it’s not like I don’t understand Patrice. I would have done the same thing! But oh well, I enjoyed the win, and when I saw Patrice do the celebrations I really got into it myself.
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@RedDevilEddy: he did it infront of our fans if he ran to the visitors its a bad thing but after all the bullshit scumrez pulled today diving and kicking the ball handshake and in the tunnel.
no way in hell im on the field and i dont celebrate infront of their team. it would have taken fergi to hold me back from dancing in front of them. its not sinking to any level. just having a laugh at their expense and letting them know it. sore loosers will alwayse find something to cry about no sense in letting it ruin a good time. we need a haters gonna hate imodicon
I would have done the icky shuffle while staring suarez down. what is dancing compared to the shit that kid pulls. bighting ears pulling raphaiels hair. fuck him and his club. time to dance on pools grave.
granted i am a yank asshole but whitch one of us didnt rub this win in a pool fans face today. cmon be real.
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@gator: Ickey shuffle for my friends across the pond cheers!
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Fergie is a shit stirring, senile old twat with a selective and short memory. Cantona flying kicks a spectator? in the chest, Rooney bangs pensioners, that goofy twat Ferdinand accidently forgot to take a drug test (ha-ha, right) and a certain welshman buys silence to hide his filthy little secrets from the press.
Ha-ha, you truly are a bunch of scum.
kingsxfan 40 minutes ago 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99oGrp_Yico
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@darren: Am I supposed to laugh or cry at that?
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@darren: keep supporting racism you granny stabbing prat. cant believe you lot let suarez on the pitch looking like a rat, thought you would have eaten him by now. you know …in your liverpool slums and all that
but thanks for the clicks on our fine blog 
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@darren: cantonas kick was PROVOKED!!! look the word up ill give you a min… got it? your lot caused all this and then act like the victim? man up and be the bad guy if you are going to be bad. only a little little shred of a man wrongs someone then blames them for it. man up. your whole club are smaaaallll. look what you have become. its not even funny for us anymore. where is our old rival. we used to have a great rival and now we have u lot.
sort yourselves and come back when youve won 20.
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@darren: Errrr Cantona was charged, PEOSECUTED and got long spell of community service, and United club and fans accepted it was right. You lot support someone like Suarez – and bring shame to your club and yourselves throughout the whole world. You lost a lot of face worldwide, and your clubs good name in the process – is it worth it for someone as unintelligent as Suarez?
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@Craig Mc: United also suspended him stright away, Liverpool players, manager and owners have supported a convicted racist.
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@darren: Oh dear,do Liverpool have an class left?
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Opti-Totally agree. 100%. And then
“Liverpool paid £35m for a basketball player with long hair. FACT”
Classic.
On Evra. I find it irritating how in all this Evra always ends up the villain. I don’t get it. Should handshake specialists now be hired? Really. He had his hand in a handshake position. Mr Sour rat didn’t even glance at him. He clearly had premeditated this moment. He didn’t want it. Evra according to Ferguson, had earlier indicated he was going to shake hands. No big deal. So what wrong has he done? Also, celebrating maniackly against Liverpool is not a new thing for United fullbacks. The last one to do so, was celebrated for it. It’s a fullback thing that’s why Rafael got in on the action.
We’re not friends with Liverpool and celebrating like that is not sinking to their level. It’s consistent with our lack of friendship. It was also applicable given their total disgraceful behavior in all this. Full marks to Evra and Rio. And this self righteous attitude is really misguided. If you’re not the one who has been offended, your opinion is rubbish. If Evra had refused to shake hands, he’ll still be well within his right. How many would shake hands with someone who disses your mother or your skin aka your entire race? Let’s not be hypocritical and screw those video analysts dwelling on nonsense to divert attention from their shameful club and jerk of a player. Even if Evra had been making comments you don’t know how he felt about it so no one has a right to pass baseless opinions. Sorry to come out a bit strong guys, but I’m just a bit incensed by all this
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@Jay wire: If Evra was going to celebrate, he may has well have done it in front of the Liverpool fans kissing the badge!
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@RedDevilEddy: or tried to shake his hand again with a huge shit eating grin on his face.
the stands would have laughed their asses off.
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@Jay wire: Pont well said, also Scholes and Evans were superb yesterday.
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Ramsey scores vs United, Bin Laden dies. Ramsey vs Spurs, Steve Jobs dies. Ramsey vs Marseille, Gaddafi dies. Ramsey almost scores vs Man City and Kim Jong Il died. And now Ramsey vs Sunderland, Whitney Houston died.
Eddy you were right after all
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@AndyCR7: FUCKING TOLD YOU DIDN’T I?!?!
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@AndyCR7: that is scary
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