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Manchester United hosted Liverpool within the 213th assembly between the 2 English giants.
Outdated Trafford will definitely be the middle of noise as United goal to make the semi-finals of a event they nonetheless have an opportunity of profitable.
The Crimson Devils have made an excellent begin to 2024 by way of outcomes with eight wins from 11, however Liverpool are effectively forward having misplaced solely one among their final 20 matches.
The hosts' document in opposition to their rivals in current occasions is just not ultimate. They’ve received solely two of their final ten matches, however a kind of wins was an FA Cup tie in 2021, through which a late Bruno Fernandes aim sealed United's progress.
What's extra, United secured a helpful draw at Anfield in December the place Raphael Varane, Koby Manu, Jonny Evans and Andre Onana all impressed.
Will probably be a tricky activity to beat this Liverpool crew, however right here's how United can take their pleasure again from the North West derby.
Shift Diogo Dalot again to the left
United will likely be with out each of their traditional left backs with Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia prone to be dominated out for the season. Because of this, Victor Lindelof and Sofiane Amrabat have been tasked with manning the left aspect of the defence, with combined outcomes.
Regardless of being 31 years previous, proper winger Mo Salah remains to be Liverpool's greatest risk and has traditionally been a serious thorn within the aspect for the Crimson Devils.
The Egyptian has scored a disappointing 12 occasions in 13 matches in opposition to Man United and defenses can’t cross up Lindelof or Amrabat in opposition to the participant's tempo and trickery.
With Aaron Wan-Bissaka prone to be obtainable, he ought to play his traditional proper aspect and the versatile Dalot can cowl extra successfully on the left and provides Salah a harder afternoon.
defend in depth
It's laborious to listen to for United followers, however the house crew can't take the sport to Liverpool proper now, in any other case they'll be sidelined.
The protection will in all probability be made up of Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire, the latter getting back from harm and Jonny Evans prone to be omitted of the Northern Eire squad earlier this week.
The defensive pairing of the French and English internationals can’t defend excessive and will likely be extremely vulnerable to Darwin Núñez breaking in behind.
Maguire has all the time had extra success as a penalty field defender and as such he would have the ability to deal with the Liverpool striker.
Be a risk on the counter and get the ball to Rasmus Hjolund
It’s no coincidence that United's kind and targets have declined because the Dane's harm final month. The 21-year-old has been instrumental in United's play and is forming a really promising partnership with different kids Coby Manu and Alejandro Garnacho.
Whereas United must defend deep, that doesn't imply they shouldn't give something going ahead as they did in opposition to Manchester Metropolis on the Etihad.
They should discover a solution to dominate Liverpool on the counter and with Bruno Fernandes feeding Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and the returning Rasmus Hjolund, they’ve their greatest arsenal to play that manner.
What Eric ten Hag's males can’t enable to occur is for United's entrance three gamers to turn into remoted from the remainder of the crew, which has occurred prior to now in opposition to Metropolis or Liverpool. They should spotlight the potential full backs of Joe Gomez and Connor Bradley and hopefully discover some pleasure in behind the protection of the Anfield aspect.