Reserves set for six-pointer
MUTV commentator David Stowell previews the big reserves game, United v Liverpool...
How much are you looking forward to tonight’s game?
Massively, because any United-Liverpool game is an exciting one, whether you’re a fan or a commentator – or both in this case. Tonight’s game should be fascinating football-wise, with all the typical blood and thunder of a match between these two great rivals, not to mention the drama you get with a title duel.
Do we owe Liverpool after two defeats earlier this season, albeit one on pens?
They beat us 1-0 in the league and then knocked us out of the Lancashire Senior Cup in a shoot-out. Liverpool are one of only two sides United have come unstuck against this season, the other being Man City. Otherwise it’s been a flawless campaign. Last week’s 6-1 demolition of Hull was wonderful to watch and there were some fantastic goals scored, so there’s no doubt United come into the game with great confidence. That should help against a Liverpool team who've only lost twice this season.
Who do you expect to be the key players for United tonight?
The first task is to predict the team! Ole’s used 43 different players this season, including various first-teamers who’ve played to build up their fitness after injury - like Van der Sar, Anderson, Hargreaves, Neville, Brown. We’ve also had a lot of injuries to regular reserve players – people missing tonight include Cathcart, Diouf, Eikrem, Fabio, Chester, King. Then we’ve got players out on loan like Tosic, Drinkwater and Cleverley…
So we’re down to the bare bones then…
Well yes but we’ve been down to the bones all season and the bones have done very well! That’s no disrespect to them as players, they’ve played superbly, and it’s perhaps unfair to pick out a few from what is a vast and versatile squad. But the standout performers are the ones that Ole and Warren Joyce have nominated for the Reserve Player of the Year. Eikrem is out injured but the other two, De Laet and Gill, will probably be at the heart of the defence or at least one at centre-half and one at full-back. Elsewhere in the team, Oliver Norwood has been creating a lot of goals and when you consider there were six different scorers against Hull it shows the level of contribution throughout the side. It would be great if United won the league because it’s been a real squad effort.
Who should we look out for in the Liverpool line-up?
Daniel Pacheco and David Amoo are the top scorers available to Liverpool with four goals apiece because the top man Nathan Ecclestone is on loan at Huddersfield. They’ve got a plethora of foreign talent, you never quite know what parts of the globe are going to be covered by their teamsheet! I expect Gerardo Bruna, an Argentinian, to play and Lauri Dalla Valle, a very sharp striker from Finland who scored against us in the Academy League, may be sub. Dutch striker Jordy Brouwer is another potential threat.
Do you expect tonight’s victors to go on and win the league?
If we win the game, then I’d definitely expect us to win the title. If Liverpool win, then it’s by no means all over but United would have to win both of the last two games means all over but United would have to win both of the last two games to really put the pressure on our rivals. So the winners tonight, assuming it isn’t a draw, could take all but as we know from watching the first team, there are so many twists and turns towards the end of a season.
Do you have a score prediction?
In a word, no! Derby matches like this are notoriously difficult to predict. That said, I doubt there will be many goals because the previous meetings this season ended 1-0 and 1-1. It’s the two meanest defences in the Barclays Premier Reserve League North going head to head so if it’s 5-5 I’d be very surprised!
