[BFernandes]

I wonder if we'll look to be more direct with our use of the ball. Instead of trying to get through the press of both their front 3 and midfield, go long, bypass both and put a seriously understrength defence with no recognised central defenders under pressure. Cavani could have a field day with runners of Rashford and Martial

 

[lRed]

Already shaking right now, go get the win et fly 6 points ahead.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

I really think the way to win this is to be positive and take the game to them. I'm not sure we are built to sit back and contain a team like Liverpool and I personally think we will play positive in this one. We really took the game to PSG earlier in the season and despite losing, I thought with more clinical finishing we would have come out deserved winners. I think if we go toe to toe with this Liverpool side with the injuries they have we could well beat well. I think the team selection for this one is pretty much set in stone.

 

[cyberman]

I really think the way to win this is to be positive and take the game to them. I'm not sure we are built to sit back and contain a team like Liverpool and I personally think we will play positive in this one. We really took the game to PSG earlier in the season and despite losing, I thought with more clinical finishing we would have come out deserved winners. I think if we go toe to toe with this Liverpool side with the injuries they have we could well beat well. I think the team selection for this one is pretty much set in stone.

Id go the opposite. They are really struggling to break down organised defences and their CBs are exposed to pace which we have on the counter.
It doesnt even mean park the bus, just dont give them space and flood forward when we have the ball

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

Id go the opposite. They are really struggling to break down organised defences and their CBs are exposed to pace which we have on the counter.
It doesnt even mean park the bus, just dont give them space and flood forward when we have the ball

Not from what the Liverpool fans are saying in here. I’ve seen afew posts from their own fans suggest they are there to be got at the moment. Why invite their attackers to the party when that defence can be blown away at the other end.

 

[Poborsky's hair]

6 points in the pool. I hope we will be positive enough and if that´s the case perhaps we stand a chance othewrwise it could be a very boring game with more clinical team winning. Doesn´t look that good in that department for us so I´d rather we are more aggressive. Perhaps similar tactics to Citeh where we stopped doing the right things after 25 minutes...

 

[Jonno]

They have such a decision to make. If they sacrifice Hendo and Fabinho by playing them at the back, they then their midfield will have the likes of Thiago (not up to speed at all yet, although a quality player), Milner and probably Gini.
They'd much rather have Hendo and Fabinho in their midfield to try to dominate/recycle the ball.

Do they play Williams or Phillips alongside Fabinho, and push Henderson on to midfield?

 

[Jonno]

Also, lets cast our minds back to last year. Salah rips his shirt off, Allison runs the length of the pitch, they practically celebrate winning the league, they go 30 points clear of us.

We go to Anfield, playing better than them, looking better than them, ahead of them.

 

[BFernandes]

They have such a decision to make. If they sacrifice Hendo and Fabinho by playing them at the back, they then their midfield will have the likes of Thiago (not up to speed at all yet, although a quality player), Milner and probably Gini.
They'd much rather have Hendo and Fabinho in their midfield to try to dominate/recycle the ball.

Do they play Williams or Phillips alongside Fabinho, and push Henderson on to midfield?

Yeah I mentioned this yesterday.

If I was Klopp, I'd look to go for the strongest midfield possible and hope they put in a performance that can both dominate the ball and protect their younger centre-backs. I wouldn't mind them dropping Fabinho and Henderson in their back 4 though and taking that depth and quality out of the midfield for us.

I would imagine it'll be a CB paring (providing Matip isn't available) of Fabinho and Jones and a midfield of Henderson, Thiago and Wijnaldum.

 

[pauldyson1uk]

Away games are strange at present, no crowd to gee the players up, just the manager and subs, so I dont really see home advantage working any more.
I would not be unhappy with a draw, but if we turn up and play the way we know they can play, the game is there for the taking.

Head is saying 1-1 , heart is saying 1-3.

 

[Jonno]

Yeah I mentioned this yesterday.

If I was Klopp, I'd look to go for the strongest midfield possible and hope they put in a performance that can both dominate the ball and protect their younger centre-backs. I wouldn't mind them dropping Fabinho and Henderson in their back 4 though and taking that depth and quality out of the midfield for us.

I agree completely. The better their midfield is, the better their attack becomes and the more they can press/dominate us.

Thiago doesn't have 90 mins in him, Keita and Gini aren't doing enough this season, so they surely will utilise Fab and/or Hendo

 

[cyberman]

Not from what the Liverpool fans are saying in here. I’ve seen afew posts from their own fans suggest they are there to be got at the moment. Why invite their attackers to the party when that defence can be blown away at the other end.

But they also say they can do nothing against organised defences?
Saying all that, Imo we should not change how we play away from home. 1 year undefeated, best record in the league etc. Its Liverpool who has to adjust to us.

 

[BFernandes]

We have to target and hammer that inside left channel too.

Arnold is poor defensively, and he was abysmal against Southampton. He's a threat going forward, but he has no defensive nous whatsoever.

Be looking for Pogba and Bruno to constantly play Rashford/Martial into that channel inbetween Arnold and his closest CB, can have so much success.

 

[Samid]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Diallo completed two training sessions with the first team. Time to throw him in at the deep end.

 

[SuperiorXI]

When was the last time we beat one of our rivals to go clear at the top???

 

[Andycoleno9]

We will play diamond.
Ddg
AWB, Bailly, Harry, Shaw
McT, Fred
Bruno, Pogba
Rashford, Martial

 

[Andycoleno9]

Most important game since Fergie left. And Ole's first real test of course.

I think that EL final was much much much more important than this

 

[Mr Smith]

Yeah I mentioned this yesterday.

If I was Klopp, I'd look to go for the strongest midfield possible and hope they put in a performance that can both dominate the ball and protect their younger centre-backs. I wouldn't mind them dropping Fabinho and Henderson in their back 4 though and taking that depth and quality out of the midfield for us.

I would imagine it'll be a CB paring (providing Matip isn't available) of Fabinho and Jones and a midfield of Henderson, Thiago and Wijnaldum.

I agree, that's what I'd do. But either way, we should be targeting whoever is partnering Fabinho. I'd be getting Rashford playing right on the shoulder and attacking either the inside left or inside right (wherever Henderson/Jones is playing).

 

[DRJosh]

Pogba has to feature in this if we’re looking for all 3 points but I won’t be surprised if Ole adopts a route one conservative approach with MCT-Fred. I don’t think the MCT-Fred pivot will provide many attacking opportunities for Rashford and Martial to get behind the defence. Pogba should be deployed a playmaker and Bruno should be used in a more attacking capacity.

 

[TheGame]

We will play diamond.
Ddg
AWB, Bailly, Harry, Shaw
McT, Fred
Bruno, Pogba
Rashford, Martial

Diamond would be a mistake since we will get caught out by their attacking fullbacks.

 

[youngrell]

This is probably the first lockdown game I've looked forward to not having fans. 40k high-pitched screaming scousers every time there's a tackle or anything else usually grates on me.

I will miss their faces if we manage to win, though.

 

[BigBebe]

My fear about this game is that Ole will go for 5 at the back using the wingbacks to counter their fullbacks. I seem to remember that he has played that formation before against Liverpool.

Ole has said in the past that James is a 'fantastic defensive winger' so he could put him at right wing-back (he played him there against Leicester where he was rubbish).

Please could somebody reassure me that this is not going to happen and then I can get back to looking forward to the game.

 

[youngrell]

I think Cavani needs to be involved here. His movement could be crucial up against their makeshift back line.

 

[M16Red]

Id go the opposite. They are really struggling to break down organised defences and their CBs are exposed to pace which we have on the counter.
It doesnt even mean park the bus, just dont give them space and flood forward when we have the ball

Yep, this. I think it's not random that Rashford and Martial are both being split on the wings as the Liverpool CB will not like being pulled out there.

With Pogba on the form his has been showing it will be interesting to see how Ole plays it, almost every poo game I've watched you can get at them if you are under four passes before a shot.

Have a feeling Kopp will pack the midfield "man utd always play defensive" if they go with the high press I think we'll have a couple of good chances, the problem is the long balls they play (like all the time).

Another this is the bench - people don't talk about enough, ours is better then Liverpoo's in fact our squad is better and Ole has done a cracking job in that regard.

 

[M16Red]

Diamond would be a mistake since we will get caught out by their attacking fullbacks.

Would it, if bruno was a false 9 and Rashford / Martial were split?

With Pogba driving through that midfield

This team has so many ways of playing and different combo's it must be a nightmare for opponent managers.

 

[bondsname]

I'm feeling nervy already.

Hope the players are a lot more composed than I am. A win at Anfield would be beautiful.

 

[lysglimt]

I don’t think James has apart from a spawny deflection of a Chelsea defenders leg

bellion 29 apps 8 goals (no idea who against, Spurs was one if I remember) 2m down the drain

obertan, bugger all but also only made 14 apps apparently, 3 mill down the drain

James over 50 apps and 6 goals, 15 mil down the drain

The difference is - if we put James on the market today - we will easily get our Money back

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

But they also say they can do nothing against organised defences?
Saying all that, Imo we should not change how we play away from home. 1 year undefeated, best record in the league etc. Its Liverpool who has to adjust to us.

You seem to be under the impression that we have counter-attacked all year away from home when from what I have seen we have mainly played on the front foot and taken the game to teams. I don't want us to deviate from that and resort to negative tactics as I think Liverpool will catch us out and win.

 

[pablo__p]

What are the chances we go super defensive and put Dan james as second attacker?

 

[cyberman]

You seem to be under the impression that we have counter-attacked all year away from home when from what I have seen we have mainly played on the front foot and taken the game to teams. I don't want us to deviate from that and resort to negative tactics as I think Liverpool will catch us out and win.

Its not that i think we counter attack, i think we carry the ball really well up the field and our attackers work space that makes it look like we always counter.
Im actually agreeing with you, we shouldn't change it but taking it to Liverpool would be altering it imo.
We dont want Liverpool sticking their 3 DM in front of that fragile defence and have them play on the break. It solves a lot of their weaknesses.
Let them bring it out to a certain point then press, let them have it in nothing areas etc

 

[Chaky_Best]

If Ole doesn't play 5 at the back (to block TAA and Robertson + having 3 mens marking their front 3) and if he doesn't play Pogba, it would be a massive mistake.

I can see Ole going for a classic 4231 with Fred and McTominay chasing like mad dogs and Pogba being shifted on the left, but that would be a massive mistake asking Pogba to chase TAA

So hopefully a 532 with a compact defensive line and if we are lucky we will draw this one.

I can see too many differences in quality between our team and theirs to get a better result.

-----------------------------------------De Gea---------------------------------------
-----------------------Bailly----------Maguire----------Lindelof--------------
Wan Bissaka-------------Pogba-----Fred---------------------------Shaw
---------------------------------------Fernandes------------------------------------
---------------------------------Rashford----Cavani-----------------------------

 

[Fingeredmouse]

What are the chances we go super defensive and put Dan james as second attacker?

Pretty low.

 

[Siorac]

I'm not sure we are built to sit back and contain a team like Liverpool

I'm not sure we're built to sit back and contain any team, really. We almost invariably look uncomfortable and vulnerable when doing that this season.

 

[TheGame]

Would it, if bruno was a false 9 and Rashford / Martial were split?

With Pogba driving through that midfield

This team has so many ways of playing and different combo's it must be a nightmare for opponent managers.

if we played like that then yes that could work. Would be great if we could but would be surprised if we play like that.

 

[Silas]

if we played like that then yes that could work. Would be great if we could but would be surprised if we play like that.

We've done it a few times already. For parts of games at least.

 

[Offside]

The good thing about this game is even if we get pumped they will still only be level on points with us. Not really a “free hit” but pressure off.

 

[Adamsk7]

I went with

De Gea
Wan Bissaka
Bailly
Maguire
Shaw

Fred
McTominay
Bruno

Pogba
Cavani
Rashford

that’s assuming Martial is out injured, if not then I’d probably play him over Cavani, because I expect his pace and trickery would get us more opportunities, although I’d bet on Cavani more t

I’ve got Pogba on that left side drifting about the place (his best position IMO) and we can go more to a diamond if we start getting overrun in midfield.

However, I think Ole will play Lindelof over Bailly OR go five at the back.

 

[RedDevilRoshi]

http://www.skysports.com/share/12187526

Looks like Jason McAteer has done the team talk for us. Absolute numpty.

 

[big rons sovereign]

http://www.skysports.com/share/12187526

Looks like Jason McAteer has done the team talk for us. Absolute numpty.

United haven't had any injuries apparently. Well in that case, we should've won the league last season.
Twat. Somebody send Roy Keane to sort him.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

I'm not sure we're built to sit back and contain any team, really. We almost invariably look uncomfortable and vulnerable when doing that this season.

I agree, we just seem a far better team when we try and get hold of the ball and control the game more.