By Chris Wright on September 17th, 2010 - Comments Off
Manchester United vs Liverpool
Premier League
Old Trafford, Manchester
Sunday, 19th September 2010
13:30 BST
Old Trafford will play host to what is arguably the biggest game of the fledgling Premier League season so far, as two clubs mired in one of football’s bitterest and unflinching rivalries meet for the first time in 2010/11.
At this early stage of the campaign it would seem that the only real prize on offer is the re-distribution of the bragging rights, but with fellow title contenders Chelsea already starting to pull away after a faultless start, both Manchester United and Liverpool have ground to make up if they are to stand any realistic chance of sating their relentless appetites for domestic silverware.
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A win may prove to be critical for either side as Chelsea themselves welcome newly-promoted Blackpool to Stamford Bridge on Sunday and (with all due respect to the Seasider’s, who have put in some impressive displays in the top flight so far) Carlo Ancelotti‘s side can therefore expect to extend there 100% record with a fairly straightforward points-harvest.
The formbook:
It’s fair to say that neither side is yet to deliver a resoundingly consummate performance this season, although United have definitely come the closest with comfortable – if not exhilarating – 3-0 wins over West Ham and Newcastle sitting either side of their frustrating 2-2 draw with a spirited Fulham side at the tail-end of last month.
United would have, however, made it a fairly convincing three wins from their first four Premier League games (leaving them a mere two points behind Chelsea, and level with Arsenal) were it not for Everton’s stroke-inducing last-ditch comeback at Goodison Park last weekend – so it’s safe to say that their current form is good, not great, but good.
Liverpool have managed just one solitary victory this term (shading out West Brom by the narrowest of margins) leaving them seven points off the pace. Roy Hodgson‘s side have also found league goals worryingly hard to come by, managing a total of two during their opening four fixtures.
The high-profile slump in form and fitness of their main goal-threat Fernando Torres continues to be a point of debate, but one suspects that a couple of goals on Sunday may stem the flow of criticism fairly effectively – although the Spaniard’s dour demeanor throughout Liverpool’s drab stalemate with Birmingham last weekend was hardly encouraging.
Steven Gerrard celebrates scoring against Man Utd in 2009
The last five Premier League meetings:
- 23 March 2008, Manchester United 3–0 Liverpool, Old Trafford
- 13 September 2008, Liverpool 2–1 Manchester United, Anfield
- 14 March 2009, Manchester United 1–4 Liverpool, Old Trafford
- 25 October 2009, Liverpool 2–0 Manchester United, Anfield
- 21 March 2010, Manchester United 2–1 Liverpool, Old Trafford
The build-up in quotes:
“We’ve played eight, won five, drawn two and lost one. I don’t think that’s a bad start to the season by any stretch of the imagination. It is a new team and it has been a tough start to the season.”
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson defends his team’s start to the season.
“It is clear that he is still a million miles short of peak condition and a long way away from what is expected and demanded in the Premier League.”
Liverpool legend Alan Hansen has his say over the form of Fernando Torres.
“We bear strong expectations at this club. Everyone is interested in us – we fill newspapers, we fill airtime and everything that happens at the club is put under a microscope, and that includes players’ performances.
Fernando Torres has got no problems with that – he’s an excellent player, he’s very much committed and focused on this season.”
Hodgson again, on Torres’ perceived lack of motivation.
“The crowd will light up. It’s usually a quick game and it’s usually a ferocious game, so hopefully it’s the kind of game that sets us back on the winning trail. No matter how the teams are doing, it’s always the big game of the season.
It’s always the one you look forward to, the atmosphere will be brilliant here and all the players will be up for it. You just feel that intensity when you play Liverpool, no matter how they are doing.”
Manchester United midfielder Ryan Giggs is confident that the game will be a spectacle.
“The manager has a decision to make with the players. There were ten changes for the Rangers game and it could be the same again on Sunday. Hopefully I will be picked and part of the team. I have got to get picked first.”
United defender Rio Ferdinand is hoping to keep his place in the team after returning to the first string against Rangers in the Champions League.
Luis Valencia after suffering a broken ankle against Rangers
Injury updates:
Manchester United will be without winger Luis Valencia, who suffered a sickening ankle injury against Rangers midweek, as well as Michael Carrick (Achilles), Owen Hargreaves (plasticine knees) and Anderson (not fully fit after knee and ankle injuries).
Liverpool will be missing Dirk Kuyt, who sheered ligaments in his shoulder whilst attempting a bicycle kick during training whilst away on international duty, and Fabio Aurelio (Achilles).
Key players:
As far as Manchester United’s key player is concerned, it’s hard to see past striker and link-man-in-chief Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian has stepped it up this season after being forced to the fore by Wayne Rooney‘s loss of form and very public ‘private issues’. The wide-spread indifference he was shown last season has since been replaced with a new-found appreciation for his laconic style after a vastly improved goal return of four in five games.
Liverpool will hoping for a sterling performance from their captain Steven Gerrard and, given the circumstances, they are more-or-less guaranteed to find him at his chest-swelling best. Gerrard will have to maintain a much more advanced position than he did against Birmingham if Torres isn’t to become completely isolated again, which would therefore make the presence of the more creative Raul Meireles in the midfield (rather than the prosaic duo of Lucas and Christian Poulsen) a necessity.
Read more: http://soccerlens.com/manchester-united-liverpool/36157/#ixzz0zvOi8s2c
Source: http://soccerlens.com
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