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Manchester United host Liverpool within the 213th assembly between the 2 English giants.
Previous Trafford will certainly be a cauldron of noise as United purpose to make it into the semi-finals of the one event they nonetheless have an opportunity of profitable.
The Crimson Devils have began 2024 fairly effectively by way of outcomes with eight wins from 11, however Liverpool are in immense from, having solely misplaced one out of their earlier 20 video games.
The host’s file of late in opposition to their rivals shouldn’t be supreme. They’ve solely gained two out of the final ten matchups however a type of victories was a FA Cup tie in 2021, with a late Bruno Fernandes objective sealing United’s development.
What’s extra, United grabbed a helpful draw at Anfield in December the place Raphael Varane, Kobbie Mainoo, Jonny Evans and Andre Onana all impressed.
It will likely be a tall order to defeat this Liverpool facet, however right here is how United can take again bragging rights from the North West derby.
Shift Diogo Dalot over to left again
United shall be with out each their regular left backs with Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia probably out for the season. Consequently, Victor Lindelof and Sofyan Amrabat have been tasked with holding down the left facet of defence with blended outcomes.
Regardless of being 31 years previous, Mo Salah on the precise wing remains to be Liverpool’s largest risk and has traditionally been a large thorn within the facet of the Crimson Devils.
The Egyptian has scored a miserable 12 instances in 13 matches versus Man United and the defence can’t depart both Lindelof or Amrabat uncovered to the participant’s tempo and trickery.
With Aaron Wan-Bissaka prone to be accessible, he ought to play on his regular proper facet and the versatile Dalot can cowl extra successfully at left again and provides Salah a a lot more durable afternoon.
Defend deep
It’s arduous for United followers to listen to this however the house facet can’t take the sport to Liverpool proper now, or they are going to be picked aside.
The defence will in all probability be Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire, with the latter getting back from harm and Jonny Evans probably sidelined having pulled out of the Northern Eire squad earlier this week.
A defensive pairing of the French and English worldwide can’t defend excessive and could be extremely prone to Darwin Nunez breaking in behind.
Maguire has all the time had extra success as a penalty field defender and that’s how he’ll have the ability to deal with the Liverpool striker.
Be a risk on the counter and get the ball to Rasmus Hojlund
It’s no accident that United’s kind and objectives have decreased for the reason that Dane picked up an harm final month. The 21 12 months previous has been essential to how United play and was forming a really promising partnership with different kids Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho.
While United must defend deep, this doesn’t imply they need to simply provide nothing going ahead like they did on the Etihad in opposition to Manchester Metropolis.
They should discover a technique to dominate Liverpool on the counter and with Bruno Fernandes feeding Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and the returning Rasmus Hojlund, they’ve their finest arsenal to play precisely this fashion.
What Erik ten Hag’s males can’t permit to occur is United’s entrance three to change into remoted from the remainder of the group, which has occurred previously versus Metropolis or Liverpool. They should expose the probably full backs of Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley and hopefully get some pleasure in behind the Anfield facet’s defence.
