I feel Liverpool have a fantastic system and squad to facilitate that system. However, I don’t think they’re up against a team like 2008 United. Ronaldo against Trent would be a great starting point for how Liverpool wouldn’t be able to use their full backs as they wanted. Trent would be exposed to two on ones where the one on one was unwinmable, and although that may also free up Salah, that flank would essentially be key and United would have it. While Van Dijk is brilliant I reckon Rooney and Tevez would also find inside channel positions and square up the other centre back all day. Ferguson might even deploy Tevez to mess with Liverpool’s centre mids higher up the pitch.
What would Liverpool do? Recycle the ball really well, although you can’t really burst lines of midfield if Carrick is sitting in his usual deep position. I don’t see Firmino getting change out of Rio and Vidic. Liverpool’s main threat would be Mane, as Salah is still excellent but not the player of two years ago. He would be cutting inside and Liverpool would have the same overlapping threat from the left as the right, which United may lack. You’d expect a dangerous moment or two from that left hand side for sure.
Ultimately I think a lack of goal threat from Liverpool’s midfield would count against them, letting United mark the key men only and leave the ball to Milner, Henderson, whoever, and United’s front three being better gradually they’d get it done.
Scholes would be sent off in the 73rd minute for an awful tackle of Milner. He would look unfussed.