Premier League: Managers need a change of fortune
Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai (centre right) celebrates scoring their side's first goal with team-mates during the Premier League match against Arsenal at Anfield, Liverpool. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.
The World Cup qualifiers provided their usual mix of depression, elation, and eventually frustration for Ireland supporters. A bit like supporting Liverpool and Man United of late.
Tomorrow sees the latest instalment of the northwest derby between the erstwhile Lancashire cities, as the two most successful sides of English football face-off once more with a lot at stake for both sides.
United will be keen to put a string of wins together after their win against Sunderland before the break, if for no other reason than to help the hirsute lad on TikTok not cutting his hair until Man United win five games in a row. The bush on the top of his head has its own gravitational pull now, as he moves into the second year without five consecutive victories.
Of course, Ruben Amorim may see more serious reasons to collect a huge morale-boosting win at Anfield not least of them to secure his own under pressure position at Old Trafford.
United, despite signs of improvement, most notably in the battling home opening defeat to Arsenal and an impressive win over Chelsea, have struggled to maintain any semblance of form and have not managed to string two wins in row in all competitions since the 2023-24 season. And their recent record against Liverpool will hardly fill them with confidence.
United have only beaten Liverpool once in the league in the past six years, an unexpected 2-1 win under Eric ten Hag at Old Trafford in 2022. Unexpected as it came after consecutive 5-0 and 4-0 defeats and prior to the infamous 7-0 loss at Anfield, when United were arguably at their lowest in decades. Adding to the pressure is that the Red Devils have not taken a Liverpool scalp at Anfield since 2016, when Wayne Rooney scored the only goal winner under Louis van Gaal's tenure.
That United have not won away this season either will make fans uneasy about taking the short journey down the M62. But historically, United are never happier than to beat Liverpool when the odds and the stats are against them, as was the case in 2022.
United will again be looking to Bruno Fernades to make the breakthrough and he does tend to raise his performances against Liverpool or at least as long as it’s going his way. He still leads the league this season for line breaks in an advanced area but has only scored once (from open play) and provide only one assist.
United need to get their new signing Bryan Mbeumo more into the action too. When he has shown his ability, he has sparkled charging out of midfield. However, that has been rare enough which United can’t afford in a game that is now as cut-throat as the Premier League.
Liverpool had a successful but unconvincing five-match winning start in the league this season but the ‘unconvincing’ came home to roost for real, with two consecutive 2-1 league defeats at the hands of Crystal Palace and Chelsea, to add to their 1-0 away defeat at the hands of Galatasaray in the Champions League. Putting boss Arne Slot in the uncomfortable position of being the first Liverpool manager in 38 years to be facing down the prospect of four defeats on the trot. For the record, Liverpool finished second that season under Kenny Dalglish in 1987.
The influx of new talent and spending over £300m on the attacking trio of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, and Alexander Isak raised expectations among Liverpool fans and opponents alike but has also added pressure on Slot, who did the unbelievable last season without any signings. While the wait for the new boys to click (apart from Ekitike who has hit the ground running) continues, Mo Salah is also having an off start not seen in his eight years at Liverpool. Add that to a misfiring defence and a sluggish midfield, and it is understandable that many fans are asking was the big spend worth it?
So far, Liverpool have been relying on Cody Gakpo to get the goals, Ryan Gravenberch to hold midfield together and Dominik Szoboszlai to fill in the gaps in defence. That, and some amazing saves from Alisson Becker.
Unfortunately for Liverpool, Alisson is out injured, in what seems like his annual ligament-snapping departure. Last season, he crashed out injured at roughly the same time and was more than ably replaced by Caoimhin Kelleher, who went about his duties so well that he set Liverpool on their way to the league title with a run of clean sheets against the top sides that he never got enough credit for.
It will be interesting to see if the new second keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili can do as well, this season.
Things may not be looking great for either manager at this point of the season but a win in tomorrow’s big clash will go a long way to getting the season back on track.
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