charlenefan
Far less insightful than the other Charley
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2005
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https://www.skysports.com/football/...win-again-at-arsenal-on-friday-night-football
When sitting down to analyse games such as this that attract the hype machine in terms of build-up, a low scoring encounter always bounces around my mind. Not this time.
It's hard to fathom a situation where one of these teams isn't chasing the game at some stage as both, on current form, stand a much better chance of winning football matches by outscoring the opposition rather than relying on their defence.
It's that attacking prowess and Liverpool's aggressive high offside line, which will be offering hope to Manchester United backers. However, if Cristiano Ronaldo starts for United, then it will diminish their chances of hurting Jurgen Klopp's men.
A dramatic drop-off in pressing and counter-attacks has coincided with Ronaldo's return to Old Trafford. You can absolutely find spaces behind this Liverpool defence, but a 36-year-old Ronaldo isn't the man to exploit them - as outlined here by Nick Wright.
If Ronaldo starts, then my confidence grows further behind a Liverpool victory at 5/4 with Sky Bet. And if Liverpool are to win, there must be a chance of Klopp's boys dishing out an absolute hammering considering the ruthlessness of their attacking performances of late.
Liverpool are the top Premier League scorers this season (22 goals) and have won four of their eight games by three or more goals. This season they have also improved their shots on target, expected goals per game, and chances created (both open play and set pieces).
If United play with the same sloppiness and lack of organisation as they showed in their last five games, where they have conceded nine goals with an expected goals against figure of 10.8, then Liverpool's world-class attack could run riot. This isn't Andros Townsend running at your defence now, it's Mohamed Salah.
That's the way I'll be playing a Liverpool victory with them to win by three or more goals at 17/2 with Sky Bet the standout.
This just might be the tipping point for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his future at the club.
And in the long run, a lesson being dished out by their fiercest rivals, might be exactly what Manchester United need in triggering the process to find an elite manager.