Premier League: Rivalry remains, even if result means less
Manchester United's Fred celebrates scoring their side's third goal of the game during the Emirates FA Cup fifth round match against West Ham at Old Trafford, on Wednesday. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire
IT’S been a number of years now since a Liverpool v Manchester United encounter decided the destination of the league.
This season is not really an exception, even if there is an outside chance that Man United can close the gap on Premier League frontrunners Arsenal and Man City. While Liverpool’s outside chance is merely in trying to close in on a fourth-place finish and hopeful Champions League qualification.
Nevertheless, the meeting of the English game’s two most successful clubs is always full of anticipation, tensions and ‘neighbourly’ rivalry and tomorrow’s game will be no exception to that.
The past five or six years may have been the best era of success in the ‘Lancashire’ derby for Liverpool since the start of the Premier League. United have won only twice in the last 13 league encounters, with six draws. Indeed, the demise of United’s last two managers in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho were as of a direct consequence of significant defeats at the hands of the hated rivals on Merseyside. However, United’s 2-1 victory in their last meeting at Old Trafford was an early indicator that there may have be a reordering of the guard in the league.
Prior to that game, back in August, optimism was not high for United, as their opening two games of the season saw them lose 2-1 to Brighton at home, followed by a humiliating 4-0 defeat away to Brentford. It was therefore presumed that mighty Liverpool, fresh off a record number of wins the previous season, would come along and beat them out the door.
What happened was a masterful display of counterpunching play by the United players and a tactical masterclass of manoeuvring from Erik ten Hag. It was a surprise result that indicated a number of things, namely that Man United had turned a corner, that Brighton and Brentford were better than many predicted and that Liverpool were entering a serious collapse in form, despite going on to spank Bournemouth 9-0 the following weekend at Anfield.
United have gone on to win 15 Premier League games since that Old Trafford result and have only lost to leaders Arsenal and Man City and strangely to Aston Villa since. An impressive run in the Europa League has now seen them pass Barcelona in the knockout round and culminating a cup win when claiming the Carabao League Cup against Newcastle United in Wembley, then followed by a come-from-behind win in the FA Cup against West Ham on Wednesday.
But maybe more importantly, the change in form has seen the rehabilitation of players such as Marcus Rashford, Fred, and Bruno Fernandez, the reinvigoration of the team by Casemiro. And the return of a winning mentality, evident when seeing themselves over the line in the League Cup final.
Since that defeat to United at Old Trafford in August, it has mostly been a tale of woe for Liverpool, who have already lost more games in the league this season than their entire loss column in the 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2021/22 seasons combined.
Bournemouth result aside, the Reds have flattered to impress with a series of patchy victories and downright head-scratching defeats. They have surrendered their FA and Carabao Cup crowns without a fight and look set for a Champions League exit barring a miracle. The midfield is malfunctioning and looks a shadow of its once dominant and all conquering self, which in turn puts pressure on a defence designed to spring forward in attack rather than back-peddle in defence, leaving gaping holes for over-the-top balls by sides who can’t believe their luck against the once invincible side. Throw in injuries in attack and general burned-out reactions by everyone at the club after last season’s exploits and you can see why Liverpool will be eager to get one over United tomorrow while having no confidence that they can be assured of achieving it.
The last few weeks saw Liverpool beat Everton, Newcastle United, Wolves, and draw at Crystal Palace with four successive clean sheets, interrupted by a 5-2 thumping at the hands of Real Madrid in the Champions League. Again a mixture of success and unanswerable inadequacies.
So is there any hope for Liverpool here? Of course. Liverpool regularly hold their best performances against the ‘bigger clubs’ then hopelessly trip up against Fulham or Brighton. And nothing suits Liverpool more than tripping up the aspirations of the Red Devils. Of course that plays through for United scuppering Liverpool's fledgling recovery too.
Considering that Liverpool came from mid-table to snatch fourth in the 2020-21 season, after winning eight of their last 10 games, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp knows it can be done. But one feels that this side is in a far more precarious situation in comparison to that season. And one suspects that this iteration are much more in need of an overhaul.
Still it’s a derby and form leading into it can go out the window for 90 minutes, when club pride and rivalry takes over, driving the players to excel for this game in an otherwise average season.
