.......VS..
Date - Saturday, March 10 2017
Kickoff Time - 1230 Hrs GMT
Venue - Old Trafford, Manchester
League standings and form guide
2. Manchester United:
LWLWW
3. Liverpool:
WDWWW
Last 5 meetings
Manchester United 0—0 Liverpool
Manchester United 1—1 Liverpool
Liverpool 0—1 Manchester United
Manchester United 3—1 Liverpool
Liverpool 1—2 Manchester United
All-Time Record
Manchester United wins: 67
Liverpool wins: 55
Draws: 47
Pre Match Pressers
José Mourinho
Jürgen Klopp
Team News
Manchester United
Zlatan Ibrahimović, Daley Blind and Ander Herrera ruled out. Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones doubtful. Marouane Fellaini returns from injury.
Liverpool
Nathanial Clyne and Georginio Wijnaldum ruled out.
Know the opposition
Liverpool FC (nicknamed
The Reds) are an English professional football club based in Liverpool, England. Liverpool were originally founded in 1892 as "Everton F.C. and Athletic Grounds Ltd" (Everton Athletic for short), before finalizing on the name Liverpool Football Club and Athletic Grounds Ltd after a dispute between the Everton FC board and John Houlding, the owner of Everton's former premise at Anfield Road. Liverpool's forays into competitive football started when they joined the Lancashire League. After winning the league title in their first season, Liverpool were accepted into the Football League for the 1893-94 season, following the resignations of Accrington and Bootle.
One of the most successful and storied clubs in the history of European football, Liverpool have won 18 English league titles, 5 European Cups, 7 FA Cups, and 8 League Cups, peaking in the 1970s and 1980s, first under the enigmatic Bill Shankly, and then his 'Boot Room' successors. Although Liverpool's fortunes as a domestic and European force have dwindled in the past 25 seasons, they still have a massive global support-base. Liverpool have two fierce historic rivals - crosstown club Everton FC (matches between them are termed The Merseyside Derby), and Manchester United (who ironically ascended to consistent title-winning prominence as Liverpool declined in the Premier League era).
Referee
Craig Pawson.
To Jose this may be “just another big match”, but there is no doubt this is a huge game and always will be for the fans. The animosity between the clubs, and the supporters, is gigantic. In footballing terms, there's something lacking, but the rivalry has everything: geography, politics, the fight to be England's most successful club and recent animosity. On the other, it's lacking the most important factor: genuinely decisive games, and key moments in the context of major trophies. Neither side are competing for the title here, it’s all about the battle for second and the pride in finishing above the other. It would be surprising if either side fell out of the top four entirely, United have a nine point cushion to Chelsea which should be enough with nine games to go to finish in the top four, but really being the best of the rest is the main aim in the Premeir League now Manchester City have the title wrapped up. This game is a battle to determine who has an upper hand in the table, not just in the 90 minutes. United should probably be looking for at least another 18 points from the remaining 27 available which means any points lost in this game is no disaster, but the nature of the performance has to be better than what has been produced recently.
“In my mentality, every match is the same,” Mourinho told his press conference.
“I'm not very good on that culture - ‘this rivalry is special, that match is special’. I've never been very good at it. I never look to AC Milan has the biggest rival, I never look at Atletico [Madrid] as the enemy, I never look to Spurs or Arsenal as the big rival, I've never been any good on it. For me it is just a big match, two historical clubs, not just in England, but in the world. In this moment, [there are] important points for the top four, important points for second position, which is better than third or fourth place. I still don’t look to some matches as special opponents. It's just a big match, because we are speaking about two big clubs.” The players certainly see things more from the fans persepective,
"It is the biggest game for both teams and maybe in English football as well," Mata told
MUTV,
"The rivalry, the history of both clubs and the atmosphere as well. Any game against Liverpool is special and, if you are able to score a fantastic goal or have a great performance, it will be remembered forever."
Tactically Mourinho's philosophy is basically about stopping the opposition especially in big games. It will be interesting to see if Mourinho has a specific plan for Liverpool like he did for the Chelsea game recently when he deployed his players in a highly unusual 4-2-2-2 system that appeared designed to compete in the centre of the pitch and largely concede space to Chelsea's wing-backs. For me there is a very strong argument for changing shape to a 3-5-1-1 system here. At their best Liverpool are the only Premier League side that can boast anything close to Manchester City's attack thanks to their electrifying high-tempo breaks after they have regained possession. Their shape when attacking is basically a 4-3-1-2 shape because Firmino drops deep and the wide men Mane and Salah move into centre-forward roles. Having a spare man at the back will help United block the channels for Salah and Mane’s movement, the wing-backs would be left to focus on Liverpool’s full-backs, the midfield would match up with Liverpool’s and the system would allow Sanchez to play as a striker alongside Lukaku which is probably suits him better. United could then use those two to counter-attack into the channels when Liverpool’s full-backs push forward.
When playing against Liverpool it is always important not too lose possession in dangerous area’s. Liverpool are surely the most threatening side on the counter-attack. Opta statistics suggest Liverpool have scored nearly double as many counter-attacking goals this season as any other Premier League side. Liverpool are a much more cohesive attacking side than United, the movement between their attacking players is superb, which why a back three and having a spare man at the back could help United massively. Klopp has deliberately built a team without an out-and-out striker. Firmino might not be a true centre-forward but he's increasingly finding the net from centre-forward positions and his movement into deeper posistion’s is excellent, United’s middle centre-back could mark him tight when he drops deep before passing him on to the holding midfielder. Firmino’s movement is desgined to create space for Mane and Salah. Mohamed Salah carries the main threat here, and if United play a back four he will be up against Young. The Egyptian has enjoyed an incredible debut Premier League campaign in terms of goalscoring and United's lack of a solid, dependable left-back could be exposed if we play a back four. Having an extra centre-back means they could pick up Salah’s runs when Liverpool try to exploit the space created by Firmino’s movement into deeper positions. The other outside centre-back would do the same on the opposite side agaist Sadio Mane who now starts on the left – but he remains a goal threat.
I have know problem with United sitting deep here, providing they have some sort of counter-attack threat. This games are about getting the job done and sitting deep is a legitimate tactic against Liverpool because they remain hugely unconvincing when attempting to break down deep defences. Liverpool are a side packed with players who are essentially space invaders, or rapid dribblers who need to roar pass opponents rather than beating them with clever trickery – they are better in open matches, or when Liverpool can play on the counterattack. Salah encourages Liverpool to be more direct and more reliant upon speed. We haven't yet witnessed him contribute significantly to neat, intricate goals that come as a result of breaking down a parked bus. Liverpool sometimes play in front of the opposition too much rather than offering penetration.
In midfield Liverpool are likely to deploy a 4-3-3 to avoid being outnumbered in the centre of the pitch. Klopp packs his side with energetic players who help to recover possession quickly and effectively. The most defensive midfielder, Jordan Henderson, is naturally more of a box-to-box player. Since Liverpool have retreated into a deeper block to utilise the speed of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah on the counter-attack, Henderson has been less comfortable. His positional sense has been found wanting, he's become dragged out of his natural zone to shut down players and left Liverpool's defence exposed, so United might consider using a midfield shape with a number 10 who can run off the back of Henderson, but I think United should shape their midfield to suit Pogba. Pogba is so physically commanding and capable of a trick to evade opposition when being pressed he will be key for turning defence into attack for United. A midfield shape that suits him with Nemanja Matic likely to sit deep in midfield, and with Scott McTominay in line for another start to the right of midfield, in the continued absence of Ander Herrera means the Frenchman needs to turn in performances that prove he's worth basing the side around.
The 3-5-2 system would leave Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip up against Lukaku and Sanchez. Liverpool's defence are likely to play high up the pitch, as they did in the reverse fixture. United need to find ways to put Lukaku and Sanchez in with clever through-balls. There should be plenty of space for them because Liverpool’s full-backs will naturally be invited forward because of United’s shape and therefore space will open up in the channels. Sanchez has generally played on the flank so far, but a centre-forward role might be his optimum position - he has similar attributes to Sergio Aguero and is surprisingly strong for a man of his size, he flourished in a centre-forward position playing for Arsenal. Liverpool also can be vulnerable at set-pieces – this isn’t a particularly tall side and Liverpool consistently don't defend corners well.
Subs - Romero, Shaw, Carrick, Fellani, Mata, Lingard, Rashford.