Manchester United’s thumping win over AS Roma has set the tone for the weekend when they are scheduled to face Liverpool at Old Trafford. United’s recent run has been very upbeat and their temptation to get the job done on Sunday could pose a serious threat to Jürgen Klopp’s side.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s last defeat in the league came at the hands of Sheffield United in late January. On the other hand, Liverpool have had a topsy-turvy ride so far and have conceded last-minute goals in their last two matches. They seem to have lost the momentum this season but still have the potential to cause havoc to their opponents.
A win for Liverpool will draw them closer to the top four while a win for United will only further stamp their authority over their archrivals. United’s title aspirations are not over yet and they will once again be eager to prove their credentials.
Except for Phil Jones and Anthony Martial, Solskjær has a fit squad to choose from. Eric Bailly has regained his full fitness and could make it to the United bench on Sunday.
Liverpool have a difficult task at hand as Klopp is facing a selection dilemma. As many as six players are set to miss out this crucial fixture and he might be forced to make some changes to the lineup keeping in mind of the importance of the game. Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joël Matip, Jordan Henderson, Divock Origi and Nat Phillips are facing an extending stay on the sidelines.
Solskjær seems to have unlocked Paul Pogba’s potential as he has been deploying the midfielder on the left-wing in the past few matches. The Frenchman has been instrumental in giving United the desired push in the attacking third and it has only been possible due to the gaffer’s little tactical tweak. The onus will be on the quartet of Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani and Bruno Fernandes to get United past the finish line.
Lineup – Dean Henderson; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelöf, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw; Scott McTominay; Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba; Edinson Cavani
A defeat at the hands of United will provide a heavy blow to Liverpool’s Champions League ambitions and therefore Klopp is likely to name a strong lineup against the home side. With Fabinho filling in the absence of Nathaniel Phillips, James Milner is likely to drop into the midfield.
Lineup – Alisson Becker; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Ozan Kabak, Andrew Robertson; James Milner, Georginio Wijnaldum, Thiago Alcântara; Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Sadio Mané
Written By
Anirban Sarkar
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