Liverpool vs Manchester United
Roll up, roll up for the weekend’s blockbuster in the frozen north of England. Yes, it’s Premier League: Liverpool vs Manchester United!
This is the derby to end all derbies; the UK’s equivalent of El Clasico between two teams with the richest of traditions and more trophies than the rest put together. Thirty-eight league titles (20 for United and 18 for ‘Pool) and 8 European crowns (five for Liverpool and three for United) are testimonies to these two greatest of clubs.
But recent fortunes have been in contrast. After almost two decades of Manchester United dominance, the tables have turned and it’s now Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool that have a million dreams.
Klopp has turned his side into genuine title contenders, sitting at the top of the Premier League and sustaining a threat to Manchester City’s rule. The SBOBET odds on the title returning to Anfield have plummeted to 3.50 after City’s loss to Chelsea last week.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils are experiencing the other side of pressure. They struggle to find consistent form to the point that they are in danger of failing to even reach a Europa League slot, and that is never enough for the passionate United fans.
Talking Points
Liverpool must stay focussed and maintain momentum
Klopp brings his side into this match on the crest of a wave, having gone to the top of the Premier League and then emerging from a winner-takes-all clash with Napoli to keep their Champions League campaign on track. The mantra, on the league leaders’ training ground in the run-up to the Mersey/Manc derby, will be to ‘play the game and not the occasion’.
That may be easier said than done when the ref’s whistle blows and the Anfield Roar echoes around the stadium. But this Liverpool squad is strong from back to front; Alisson has been superb in goal while Virgil van Dijk is a tower of strength at centre-back. And the addition of Xherdan Shaqiri to Liverpool’s Fab Three of Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane up front makes for a frightening prospect.
Will the Red Devils come alive for the big game?
Jose Mourinho has been walking a tightrope this season, with one media outlet suggesting he was due for the sack a few weeks ago. But he’s still at Old Trafford and is still fighting. And Jose has always been a man for the big occasion.
He brings his side to Merseyside on the back of an underwhelming 2-1 defeat to Valencia after battling to a recent 2-2 draw with Arsenal. For all the talk of Jose’s failure to motivate his expensive stars, Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez, he still has that special touch with some. Luke Shaw and Ashley Young have benefitted hugely from his coaching. But what he needs, if he is to have any chance of emerging from Merseyside with a result, is togetherness. And what United fans would give to see the likes of Paul Scholes and Gary Neville lining up against their fierce rivals once more!
But Jose must face the leaders with what he has, which isn’t half bad. He has firepower in the form of Anthony Martial who has seven league goals, and arguably the best keeper in the league in David de Gea. But I think he should make use of Juan Mata’s attacking guile as United will need an outlet; their defence isn’t looking good enough to hold off Liverpool for 90-plus minutes.
History
The form table points to a Liverpool triumph. The hosts come into the game on a run of four consecutive wins while Manchester United won just one of the last four with it being a resounding 4-1 victory over Fulham.
United have conceded 26 goals in the Premier League, and that doesn’t auger well against Mo Salah, already the league’s joint leading scorer with ten. Meanwhile, Liverpool conceded just six goals, and a goal difference of +28 compared to United’s +2 suggests the writing may be on the wall for the Red Devils.
But the Liverpool vs Manchester United results in the Premier League era still favour United with 30 wins to 18.
Last September, Jose came under a lot of criticism when he shut his shop down and took a 0-0 draw away from Anfield. That could be his strategy again, though I think it’s a risky one against a side which has won six and drawn one at home. But four of the last six meetings have been low-scoring draws, and the last two league clashes at Anfield have been goalless.
Betting tip
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Liverpool vs Manchester United | Liverpool, First Half 1×2 @2.17 |
| December 17,2018 00:00 (GMT+8) |
There is a gap of 16 points between these two teams after 16 games, and that illustrates a gulf in class. United have some top-class players, but Liverpool have a far better team at the moment. The Liverpool vs Manchester United betting odds make sorry reading for the Mancunians, with the hosts at 1.56 to win while Jose’s boys are out there at a huge 5.60.
I really can’t see the visitors holding out until half-time but, for an alternative bet, the odds of 0-0 are at 13.00 if you think Jose can make it three goalless draws at Anfield in a row.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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