By Danny Murphy For The Mail On Sunday
22:31 16 Dec 2023, up to date 09:13 17 Dec 2023
- Bruno Fernandes’ absence will make Erik ten hag’s recreation plan simpler to hold out
- Does Marcus Rashford make a mixed XI of the 2 groups? Discover out beneath
- Do Man United have what it takes to take advantage of Liverpool’s defensive vulnerability? It is All Kicking Off
With Manchester United visiting Liverpool and dealing with a possible third loss within the house of per week, Danny Murphy solutions the largest questions forward of the conflict.
The Crimson Devils will probably be with out Bruno Fernandes for the tie after he was booked for dissent within the 3-0 defeat in opposition to Bournemouth.
Nevertheless, Murphy writes that lacking Fernandes will make a better game-plan for Erik ten Hag, with a extra stable midfield.
He additionally argues that Marcus Rashford ought to be named as captain regardless of his ailing kind, solutions whether or not one other 7-0 is on the playing cards, and offers a stunning mixed XI of the 2 sides.
NO BRUNO, NO PROBLEM?
The United captain’s suspension makes the supervisor’s game-plan simpler. Bruno is a superb participant however to shoehorn him into the group at Anfield, Erik ten Hag would have wanted to play him out broad.
With out him, United may be extra stable with a midfield three of Sofyan Amrabat, Kobbie Mainoo and Scott McTominay, and have tempo on the flanks for counter-attacks by Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony.
If Bruno occupied a type of positions, he would not be fast sufficient in transition and this fashion McTominay can get ahead to help Rasmus Hojlund.
WHO TAKES UNITED ARMBAND?
If I am Ten Hag preventing for my job, I’m placing Rashford straight again within the group after sickness — with the armband.
I am certain some followers will not prefer it given his disappointing kind this season however a supervisor’s job is to get his greatest gamers enjoying. Rashford is one among them so take a danger, give him further duty and see how he does.
It isn’t as if Antony or Garnacho are undroppable. Garnacho has been nice this season however appeared jaded of late. However he may nonetheless be price deploying on the suitable so Rashford can go into his most popular place on the left.
PLAY NATURAL GAME OR TWEAK TACTICS?
Everyone knows the United custom of enjoying on the entrance foot however generally it’s essential to respect the opposition — it is one of the simplest ways to get a consequence.
I performed in lots of Liverpool-United video games after they had been the perfect group in Europe and we had been underdogs like United are actually.
If Ten Hag tries to go toe-to-toe, United will lose closely. They need to be pragmatic and use the tempo of Rashford and Garnacho down the wings to present Liverpool issues.
United need to put their egos on the door, settle for they’re inferior to Liverpool and discover a plan to win any manner.
ARE INJURIES TO BLAME FOR UNITED’S POOR FORM?
Partially. They misplaced video games and conceded targets when gamers like Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez had been match, so it is not the one issue.
After all the variety of modifications, significantly in defence, aren’t useful nevertheless it’s not the explanation they’ve misplaced extra video games than they’ve received this season.
HOW IS ALEXANDER-ARNOLD BEST USED?
The hybrid function he is enjoying, stepping out from right-back into midfield, has labored nicely this season. I do know Trent is a full-time midfielder for England however they play a distinct manner — they do not use inverted full-backs.
If he went into midfield, Liverpool would lose efficiency since you’d get a extra defensive right-back like Joe Gomez and have to go away out one of many midfielders like Ryan Gravenberch or Curtis Jones, decreasing their total attacking menace.
England and Liverpool have completely different personnel — Jurgen Klopp would not have a Declan Rice or Kyle Walker, for instance — so it is smart for Alexander-Arnold to play a hybrid function for his membership, and solely in midfield for his nation.
IS THIS MO SALAH’S SWANSONG?
I assumed he may go to Saudi final summer time however now I really feel he could keep subsequent yr, too. He appears to imagine within the new mission at Liverpool and is having fun with his function as a senior participant in Klopp’s newest group.
Salah is already in Liverpool’s best XI and possibly the final word Premier League XI as nicely however I am unable to see him superseding Kenny Dalglish or Steven Gerrard as a result of they had been at Anfield so lengthy.
Someday, Salah could go to Saudi. However he is as match as a fiddle so there’s a lot of time for that.
IS ANOTHER 7-0 POSSIBLE?
I would be flabbergasted. For a 7-0, all the pieces has to go unsuitable for one group and proper for the opposite. I believe this will probably be a lot nearer.
SECRET OF YOUR SUCCESS AGAINST UNITED?
Ways had been necessary. We stayed compact, disciplined and tried to make it actually laborious for an excellent United group. Particular person delight additionally counts for lots within the dressing room.
We had guys corresponding to Gerrard and Michael Owen who had been fed up with all of the trophies United had been successful and wished to indicate they had been each bit nearly as good as United’s star gamers like David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs.
United’s gamers need to attempt to emulate that. Rashford and Garnacho need to have the mindset of going on the market and overshadowing Salah. Hojlund ought to need to show that he is a greater centre-forward than Darwin Nunez.
That want can work wonders. Certainly one of my favorite recollections was strolling off at Previous Trafford with a 1-0 win, me scoring the winner and Stevie G voted man of the match.
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