United v Liverpool Preview

When Manchester United and Liverpool face off on Sunday there are many fascinating battles that will be played out in front of millions of viewers worldwide. Here is a look at a few key areas that may prove decisive over the 90 minutes.

Liverpool's mental block 

Manchester United's record at Old Trafford against Liverpool has been formidable since Gerard Houllier departed from Anfield. Rafa Benitez's Liverpool won 4-1 back in 2009 but remains is the only success that the Reds have accrued in their last nine visits to the home of their biggest rivals. Too often in this fixture the visiting side have sought to cancel United out and play conservatively. Perhaps United's irresistible attacking form and shaky defensive performances this season will force Brendan Rodgers try something a little different this time around.

United's defensive vulnerability is no secret and Liverpool do posses enough pace and guile going forward to cause the league leaders problems. Invariably at Old Trafford, Liverpool have sat deep and unsuccessfully attempted to soak up pressure and counter United. The results would suggest that a new formula is required and while Liverpool attempting to go for the jugular is unlikely, more ambition must on display than on the Reds recent visits to Manchester. Liverpool need only look at Spurs' and Newcastle's approaches when they faced up to United this season to see how to exploit their opponents weaknesses. Both clubs scored three times at Old Trafford and showed how genuine attacking intent must be present when you face off against Ferguson's side. Liverpool's Old Trafford inferiority complex must be banished if they are to attack with conviction and ultimately prevail. 

The unheralded England midfielders

As always in these high profile games, midfield is a key area. If you had said in the summer that Jordan Henderson and Michael Carrick would be a key battle in this game you'd likely have been laughed at, but such is the ever evolving nature of the Premier League that the much maligned pair are likely to face off against each other on Sunday in an important duel.

Expecting someone else?

Henderson's recent form allied with his incredible energy levels makes him a likely starter for Brendan Rodgers' side this weekend. Deploying him ahead of Gerrard and Lucas in midfield would allow the former Sunderland man to put Michael Carrick, United's play-maker, under sustained pressure. While he may not offer the goal threat that Jonjo Shelvey or Steven Gerrard would for Liverpool from that position, Henderson's work without the ball in that area could be vital if Liverpool are to disrupt United's passing game.

If Carrick is allowed time and space, he will undoubtedly get United ticking and make Liverpool suffer. He may not be Xavi or Andrea Pirlo, but Carrick is in arguably the best run of form in his United career and has the ability to hurt Liverpool with his long range passing. His vision and technique mean that he is a constant supply line for United's wingers and Robin van Persie. He is an under-appreciated member of this United team and his contributions, while often ignored, are vital. If Liverpool are to get a grip on the game, they must get a grip of Carrick first and Jordan Henderson represents their best shot as doing so. 

United's flying wingers and Liverpool's 'second' full back

With Jose Enrique ruled out of the game with a hamstring injury, United will have one definite area of Liverpool's defence to target. Whoever slots into the back four alongside Agger, Skrtel and Johnson for Liverpool will be in for a testing afternoon. Stewart Downing may return at left back, in which case he will likely be up against the pace and power of Antonio Valencia who essentially won United all three points at Anfield earlier in the season with his lung busting 50 yard sprint to win the decisive penalty kick. Valencia is as uncomplicated as he is effective. He hugs the touchline, keeps the width for his team and looks to beat his marker on the outside and deliver at every opportunity. He's not been at the top of his game this season but he remains a huge threat and Downing's lack of natural defensive instincts could mean that Brendan Rodgers selects Andre Wisdom instead.

Valencia is a threat, as Liverpool know all too well

If that is the case then Glen Johnson will play at left back and have to deal with Valencia but on the opposite flank United will surely look to exploit the inexperience of Wisdom. Ashley Young will probably start wide on the left for United and his trickery and speed will be something United will look to utilise against the teenager. Isolating the young full back, who is a natural centre half, will undoubtedly in Alex Ferguson's thoughts. It is of the utmost importance then, that Liverpool guard against this. Lucas and Steven Gerrard will likely be screening the back four and they must play with discipline and intelligence if they are to support Wisdom or Downing sufficiently. For decades now United have had dangerous, direct wingers with excellent delivery and this year is no different. The Manchester club have quality in the wide areas again and Liverpool's ability to withstand the tests from the flanks will be crucial. United's primary supply-line is so often crosses from wide areas and given Jose Enrique's absence it is likely to be the same again on Sunday.

The Aces in the Packs

When you talk about potential match winners for either Manchester United or Liverpool then two men stand alone. They are the best two players in the Premier League currently. Robin van Persie and Luis Suarez are contrasting players in style but both have had the burden of carrying their teams for long periods of this season. With 31 league goals between them, they are the two players that the spotlight will rightly shine brightest on come kick off time.

The main men 

Van Persie comes into the game amid a sea of tranquillity. The Dutchman's form has been outstanding, he has taken to his new club like a duck to water and his confidence is as high as it possibly could be, as demonstrated by his exquisite goal in the F.A Cup against West Ham last weekend. Suarez on the other hand will be under huge scrutiny after 'hanballgate' and the whole Patrice Evra affair being in the public eye again this week. It is a good job for Liverpool that the Uruguayan seems to thrive on the media circus that constantly surrounds around him.

If Liverpool are to come away from Old Trafford with three points then it is difficult to look past Suarez as their match winner. The Reds will have to ensure that he is provided adequate support though, as sometimes even he can't do it all on his own. On occasion, especially against the top teams Suarez has ploughed a lone furrow and become isolated, frustrated and ultimately less effective for Liverpool, and whoever is alongside him in Liverpool's attack at Old Trafford must help share the creative responsibilities. Conversely, van Persie can not only win games for United with his individual brilliance, he can rely on a higher and more consistent quality of service from his team mates and that is the main difference between the two sides right now. So will it be van Persie's serenity and lethal touch in front of goal that wins the day, or can Suarez's perpetual motion and beguiling skills damage United's title challenge? It should be fun finding out.

Suarez the Nefarious

Remember when Fonzie jumped the shark? Neither do I, I wasn't born either, but you know where I'm going. Anyway, a great many members of the British press did the equivalent of the Happy Days star yesterday. It started mere seconds after an incompetent refereeing decision allowed a goal to stand for Liverpool. Only, it wasn't a goal for Liverpool, it was a goal for him. He'd been too quiet for too long. All these goals, nutmegs, tricks and excitement that he had been serving up just wasn't cutting it. Who wants consistent effusive praise of his talent when you can denigrate his character, question his morality and ponder whether he is the most despicable person on the planet?

ESPN commentator Jon Champion got things moving. He actually went as far as to call a player a 'cheat' on national television. He then started the ball rolling on the ridiculous notion that Suarez had kissed his right wrist to gleefully rub in the fact that he had screwed minnows Mansfield. Champion even used the the word 'nefarious' for God's sake! NEFARIOUS! Twitter predictably went in to meltdown. Alex Ferguson probably found that his glass of red tasted that bit sweeter as he plotted his next bout of 'mind games' which will no doubt centre around Luis Suarez again this week. Outrage, vitriol and indignation seeped from the pores of that woman who married the Mansfield chairmen that ESPN gave actually gave a live interview to. Everyone regretted the fact that the little cheat from Uruguay had sullied the F.A Cup's good name and denied a deserving non-league team a lucrative replay at Anfield. Suarez was the bad guy again. Equilibrium was restored.

Then, late last night, the perverse levels of bullshit and spin found their nadir. I ventured over the the Independent's website to read James Lawton's take on the events that had unfolded and found quite possibly, the most ridiculous sentence that I've ever seen in a football article. Lawton, a man working for a national newspaper and being paid for it, actually wrote the following words:

'He looked sheepish enough not to repeat the claim of his fellow South American Diego Maradona that it was the work of God but you didn't have to be a supporter of Mansfield to believe that he had come off the bench with diabolical intent.'

Suddenly, John Champion's use of the word 'nefarious' was less impressive. Lawton tells us that Luis Suarez sat for an hour on the substitutes bench at Field Mill yesterday and then entered the pitch determined to commit a 'diabolical' act. He had this planned all along! He probably hit that first shot straight at the goalkeeper on purpose just so that he could handle the ball on the rebound! He probably even wielded a psychic power on the game that made Daniel Sturridge miss that great chance in the first half just so that his handled goal would be decisive. THAT'S HOW GOOD LUIS SUAREZ IS AT BEING BAD!

The infamous handball by Luis Suarez at Field Mill 

Fortunately, in the cold light of day, a great many people have put this whole charade into perspective. Mansfield's manager Paul Cox and his players refused condemn Suarez, they correctly bemoaned the incompetent officiating instead. People like Alan Hansen and Gordon Strachan and a great number of journalists who have not sought to follow the lazy path of their peers have also defended the actions of the Liverpool forward, and rightly so.

Yesterday was, as football often is, very cruel. Mansfield as a club did themselves proud on every level. Their gesture of leaving 96 seats with the names of those Liverpool fans lost at Hillsborough was touching. The atmosphere whipped up by their fans was enthralling. The class of their manager after the game was admirable and the performance of their players was fantastic. They deserved a replay yesterday and they didn't get one because professional referee Andre Marriner and his assistants made a shocking error. That should have been the narrative from the masses. A bad refereeing call cost a non league side their chance to play at Anfield and put Liverpool out of the F.A Cup.

As we know though, examining the real flaws in football only goes so far in this land. Why bemoan yet more incompetent officiating when a pantomime villain was at the eye of the storm? The ball hit his hand. He kicked it into the net. He didn't reverse the referee's decision. He kissed his daughter's name that he has tattooed on his wrist as he does after every goal. Actually, scratch that last one and replace it with this: He kissed the hand that he used to put Mansfield out of the F.A Cup just to irk Mansfield fans. He was a cheat and remains a cheat. He is a blight on our national game. He is Suarez the Nefarious.

Stoke show LFC the way forward

I don't like Stoke City very much. I find them boring and uninspiring to watch. I don't appreciate constant long diagonal punts up field. Watching the clock tick away dozens of time per match as balls are wiped with towels and set pieces are prepared meticulously isn't my bag either. I don't find their physical approach easy on the eye, but most importantly, I don't like it when Liverpool have to play against them because I know it will be a tough game for the Reds to win. Say what you will about Stoke (I often do), but they are a team you can set your watch by. Liverpool conceded three times against them on Boxing Day. The first goal came from a long punt and flick on, the second from a corner and the third was from a long throw. Quelle suprise. The fact that Liverpool seemed ill equipped to deal with such obvious tactics was alarming but more frustrating still was the Reds inability to impose their contrasting style of play on their opponents throughout the game. Was that really a shock though?

Stoke are a team that have been pieced together in their managers image over several years. Tony Pulis knows how he wants his team to play, he knows what is effective and he has purchased footballers who will carry out his instructions consistently. The fact that these instructions are winning headers, being first to second balls, hitting percentage 'diagonals' and generally working as hard as humanely possible rather than attempting to play dazzling one touch pass and move football doesn't matter. The point remains that over a period of time Tony Pulis has assembled a squad that is able to successfully implement his preferred style of play. It doesn't matter that his team play unattractive football, all that matters is that they are doing exactly what their manager wants them to.

Pulis has a team in his image...minus the baseball cap

Conversely, Brendan Rodgers' group of players contains many who seem at odds with his football style. Whether or not his philosophy will ultimately be successful remains to be seen, but calls for his sacking (and there have been some, lets not kid ourselves) and the growing lack of faith in his management at such an embryonic stage in his Liverpool career is depressing and unfortunately symptomatic of the modern day game. Time is hard to come by for managers these days, especially at Anfield.

Liverpool haven't done as well as they should have this season in terms of league position, no one can dispute that and Rodgers has made mistakes, sometimes very important ones that have cost his team points (in my opinion). But cast your mind back 6 months and most Liverpool fans were applauding the notion of having a young manager with a vision. Excitement surrounded the appointment of the softly spoken Northern Irishman who had a definitive idea of how he wanted Liverpool to play going forward. 6 league defeats later and the goodwill and talk of steady progress over time is quickly evaporating.

Rodgers needs more time

Rodgers inherited a club that had been outside the top 6 under the stewardship of Rafa Benitez, Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish over the past 3 seasons and then lost important players like Maxi Rodriguez, Dirk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy in the summer. Is it any wonder Liverpool are barely hanging on to the coat tails of the teams fighting for fourth place when you look at it like that?

It's hard to swallow for Kopites but under FSG there is going to be no quick fix no matter what manager is at the helm. Joh Henry and co are apparently unwilling to sanction the huge transfer fees and ludicrous wages that would give Liverpool an opportunity to immediately begin to challenge the top clubs again. Whatever reservations are held about the clubs American owners, in the summer they appointed a manager who they believed could bring success within their business model. They didn't move for a Harry Redknapp style manager and seek a quick fix, they appointed a 39 year old with a clearly defined plan for the future which (like every manager in world football) was not guaranteed to work.

They put their faith in Brendan Rodgers and so did the supporters of Liverpool. So, given that most reds on Merseyside this summer embraced the notion of introducing more youth team players and building for the future with slow steady progress under a new manager is it not just a little short sighted for people to be condemning Rodgers as a failure after half a season and only 2 first team additions to the playing staff (one of whom has been injured for most of the season)?

Liverpool are a team who have finished between 6^th and 8^th for the past three seasons. A return to the Champions League is their obvious objective but the chances of it happening this season were only remote to begin with and with the criminal loss to Aston Villa and the surrender at Stoke it now seems outlandish that Liverpool will finish in the top four. But would it be asking too much to give this new manager another transfer window or two to actually bring in players to the club who actually fit his style of play and to wait and see if improvement occurs?

Daniel Sturridge is on his way from Chelsea, and while he may not be everyone's cup of tea, does anyone seriously think that he wouldn't have provided more league goals than Raheem Sterling (one), Stewart Downing (one), Jose Enrique (one) or Suso (zero) have this season? Joe Cole, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and the like aren't players that fit Rodgers system right now and he must be given time to acquire players who will before he is judged. Like Rodgers, Liverpool supporters want to see their team playing attractive, passing football and winning games. Why not give the man who intends to make this dream a reality the time and players to do it before getting on his back?

If you buy into a philosophy and a long term plan then you have to accept that it is likely going to take a while to perfect. Stoke are one of the best defensive sides in Europe this season and that didn't happen over night. It happened because Tony Pulis, a man whose footballing philosophy I wholeheartedly disagree with, was allowed time to work with the players at his disposal and gradually mould a team in his image over numerous transfer windows. Giving Brendan Rodgers the same opportunity might just be an idea.  

Ten January targets for Liverpool

Rumours are rife and January is right around the corner. Time, then, to take a look at some of the players linked with Liverpool Football Club this winter.

Tom Ince – Left the club only last year for £225,000 but has since shone at Blackpool and established himself in the England Under 21 set up. His 13 goals in the Championship already this season shows he has an eye for goal and he fits the model of young, talented home grown players that FSG are interested in. A fee of around £6m (minus the 35% sell on clause that Liverpool implemented in his transfer to the tangerines) has been muted in the press and he seems a likely signing. Looks to have improved significantly since he left the club and has added an end product that was lacking during his time on Merseyside. Whether or not he could replicate his Championship form in the Premier League remains a question and one that seems increasingly likely to be answered in the new year.

Daniel Sturridge – Like Ince, reports suggest that Liverpool have all but agreed a £12m fee with Chelsea for the England forward. His ability to play wide or centrally in a front three seems tailor made for Brendan Rodgers' system and his goal output has been relatively impressive at Chelsea (24 in 93) despite his limited opportunities. Doubts regarding his attitude are well known but Liverpool and Rodgers seem willing to take the risk on a player with undoubted potential.

Sturridge seems to be heading to Anfield 

Theo Walcott – The boyhood Liverpool fan seems to want out of Arsenal but competition for his signature will be fierce. Liverpool could probably offer him more game time than other rumoured potential suitors Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City. Whether the club would be able or indeed, willing to offer Arsenal and the player financial packages that would be accepted could be a question mark but purely in footballing terms, interest in the winger is understandable. Walcott offers the pace, penetration and goals that Liverpool's front line currently lacks.

Alexis Sanchez – One tenuous link from the Daily Mirror is all it takes for people to start dreaming. The Chilean winger has struggled for fitness and regular game time at Barcelona this season and unsurprisingly it seems that the Reds are monitoring his situation with view to a possible loan deal. Whether the Catalan giants would be willing to allow the £28m forward to leave remains to be seen and even if they did decide to move him on, a great many Champions League clubs would be interested. Alexis playing on Merseyside seems more than a tad unlikely, but we can all dream once in a while, right?

Cristian Tello – Brendan Rodgers tried to sign the young winger on loan at the beginning of the season but Tello elected to stay with Barcelona. He, like Sanchez, has found time on the pitch difficult to come by this season and he could be looking to get some regular games elsewhere. A loan deal would appear more likely than a permanent transfer given that he is held in high regard at Barca, but Tello's blistering pace and penchant for leaving defenders trailing in his wake makes him obvious target. Like Sanchez though, the chances seem remote that Barca would be willing to lose the player mid season with their Champions League campaign still ahead of them. Perhaps one to revisit in the summer.

Liverpool tried to sign Tello in the summer 

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar – The Schalke star is out on contract at the end of the season and is the ultimate 'fox in the box'. His cool head in front of goal has been evident again after difficult spells at Milan and Real Madrid and he has scored 42 times in 70 appearances for the German side. He has bags international experience and is more clinical than any striker Liverpool currently posses. The fact that he can only really play centrally may put Rodgers off though, given his apparent lack of desire to move Luis Suarez from that position. The 'Hunter' did strike up a great partnership with Suarez at Ajax though, and the potential reuniting of that partnership is an exciting proposition.

Demba Ba – A proven Premier League striker who has 10 league goals already this season and is available for £7.5m. Sound too good be true? Perhaps it is. Ba's knees are apparently in a bad way and liable to give way at any moment (reports suggest that has been the case for a while now) but his fitness record at Newcastle has been good and his goalscoring exploits cannot be ignored. His get out clause is cheap and he has been a stand out performer for the Geordies in a difficult season thus far. Liverpool have been linked with the player numerous times and he seems to be an attainable target should the club wish to pursue him.

Ba's low release clause is tempting 

Jack Butland – Aged just 19 and already England's back up to Joe Hart, the imposing Birmingham stopper could be seen as a potential long term replacement for Pepe Reina. He could also be seen as an immediate replacement for the Spaniard who has suffered a chronic lack of form over the past couple of seasons. Hugely talented, confident and a great prospect, Butland will soon be in demand and won't be playing his trade in the Championship for much longer. Whether Brendan Rodgers and his scouts are sufficiently impressed to steal a march on their rivals and attempt to snap up the highly rated keeper in January is another question. Assuming Reina can recapture his form, then chances for Butland would probably be hard to come by despite his extraordinary potential.

Mohamed Diame – Liverpool missed out on Diame in the summer when Kenny Dalglish was lining up a free transfer for the French born midfielder, but his performance against the Reds at Upton Park recently may well have reignited interest. Diame dominated the midfield as he did against Chelsea for the Hammers and offers the kind of physicality that Liverpool's squad lacks in central midfield right now. A reported £3.5m buy out clause in his contract also makes him more than affordable but his recent form means that interest will be there from other Premier League teams.

Keisuke Honda – The CSKA Moscow play maker is entering his final year of his contract and has long been linked with a move to the Premier League. The Japanese number 10 offers guile, technical ability and experience and aged 26 probably has his best years still ahead of him. Honda has the ability to play wide or as a deep midfielder but given his natural play making position is something that Liverpool sorely lack right now, the midfielder could be a curve ball signing this January. Apparently he also a has a good engine on him (sorry).

For Wenger read Benitez

Arsenal is not a happy football club right now. Fans appear, for the first time, to be seriously in favour of a change of manager. Fed up with perennial underachievement, a lack of trophies and ambition in the transfer market, many supporters have finally had enough and turned some of their scorn away from the boardroom and onto their legendary manager Arsene Wenger. Is it time for a change at the Emirates or will change only serve to facilitate their downfall?

It's been a repetitive cycle over the past few years. Arsenal lose a top player or two in the summer, replace them with players who aren't quite at the same level, struggle in the league and then Arsene Wenger somehow manages to guide the team back into the top four and secure Champions League football for another season. Despite a wretched start again this term, if this writer was asked to put his money where his mouth is regarding Arsenal's eventual league position, I'd say history will repeat itself once again. The Gunners lie only 2 points off 4^th place and still have a squad that boasts enough quality to sustain their European adventures in UEFA's money spinning competition once more. However, fourth place just isn't enough for supporters these days.

Not when you are paying exorbitant and ever increasing ticket prices. Not when your team hasn't won a trophy in years. Not when you have to see your best players leave every summer. And certainly not when your side are eliminated by a fourth tier team in a competition that you badly wanted to win. With each annual sale of another top player, Arsenal grow weaker and the breaking point is looming. Whether it's this season, next season or the one after that, without considerable improvement, it's conceivable that Arsenal will eventually slip out of the top four. You can only weaken your squad so many times before others catch up and over take you. Chelsea, United and City have three of the four Champions League positions locked down, Everton and Spurs continue to improve, Liverpool are gradually waking from their slumber and the fight for fourth is growing ever more fierce. If and when Arsenal do eventually miss out and are no longer in the Champions League then things really become hard.

Wenger is under pressure like never before at Arsenal

Gooners need only look at Liverpool's decline for an example of how damaging slipping out of the Champions League can be. Liverpool were ranked as the number one team in Europe less than four years ago and since missing out on the top four in 2009/10, they haven't seriously threatened a return to Europe's top table since. A succession of managers have come and gone, top players have left the club and their replacements were overly expensive risks, the majority of which have failed miserably. At the time of Rafa Benitez's sacking, many Liverpool fans were in favour. 'He's lost the dressing room' 'His methods have gone stale' 'His signings have been poor' (sound familiar?) were common reasons cited for his departure. There was some truth in all these comments, but when Roy Hodgson took control at Anfield you'd have been hard pressed to find a Scouser who didn't yearn for the return of the Spaniard who brought far more triumph than disaster. Liverpool gambled on a new manager and it backfire spectacularly. Now the club yearns for and dreams of fourth place. What was once a pre-requisite is now the main target.

Time ran out for Benitez at Anfield

Wenger is in a similar position to the one Benitez found himself in. His group of players seem demotivated, important first team players like Walcott and Sagna are seeking pastures new and his signings (which, while not in the Chelsea/Manchester City financial bracket, haven't been cheap) are on the whole, failing. Finally, almost unthinkably, a significant portion of his once adoring fan-base want to see him replaced. It's a position that is easy to sympathise with. Arsenal should be doing better. They should be winning trophies more regularly and perhaps the Wenger of ten years ago would have them in a more competitive position despite the financial disparity with City, United and Chelsea.

The question that Arsenal's fans must ask themselves though, is who is capable of replacing Wenger and doing a better job with the same resources at their disposal? Would a new man really be able to reinvigorate the squad and restore their competitiveness in the upper echelons of the league with a similar transfer budget and this squad of players? In short, could Arsenal attract a manager who is more qualified to improve the club than Arsene Wenger currently is?

Certainties in football are few and far between and changing a manager who is as immersed in a club as Wenger is at Arsenal is a monumental decision. It is possible that a new manager could improve Arsenal but it is just as easy to envisage their current malaise becoming even more pronounced if a new manager didn't hit the ground running and God forbid, needed a little time to improve things. Patience at Arsenal is understandably thin on the ground and would a new manager be afforded enough of it should his methods fail to yield immediate improvement? Wenger's future is uncertain but with or without him, so is Arsenal's. Whatever decision is made, be it in the summer or further down the line, Arsenal as a club must get it spot on. If they don't then today's perceived underachievement might be tomorrow's target. Just ask a Liverpool fan how that feels.