Louis van Gaal may not have been the saviour Manchester United were hoping for but at least he delivered in the north-west derbies. United beat Liverpool home and away last season, even if they were eliminated by Jürgen Klopp’s side over two legs in the Europa League, and José Mourinho already knows he cannot match that 100% record after gaining only a draw at Anfield in October.
In fairness, Van Gaal had to face Klopp only once in the Premier League. The first of United’s victories over Liverpool last season was one of the last games of Brendan Rodgers’ tenure. In fact, the away side’s uncharacteristic meekness in going down 3-1 at Old Trafford is often cited as proof of the need for managerial change.
Mourinho makes a reasonable point, too, when he says he was still getting to know his players when he sent them to Anfield to park the bus three months ago. His defensive tactics drew complaints, mostly from the people who had been trying to sell the game to the television audience as a spectacle, though Mourinho was within his rights to cut out risks and try to steady the ship.
United had just lost at home to Manchester City and away to Watford. Liverpool were looking for a fifth successive victory and hoping to join City at the top of the table. A draw in those circumstances was not a bad result, and a certain grudging admiration was even permissible for the way Mourinho went about proving he could still suck the life out of a game even at a new club with an unfamiliar set of players.
The difference between then and now is that Mourinho has been in the job six months and does know his players. United have won their last six league games, not bad going whatever the opposition, and victory against Liverpool would extend their winning run in all competitions to 10. It was in that spirit that Mourinho urged the Old Trafford crowd to make a bit more noise and contribute to a big-match atmosphere after the EFL Cup win over Hull on Tuesday.
The United manager is not hoping to unsettle his opponents, he knows Liverpool are far too experienced and professional to be intimidated merely by crowd volume, but he believes greater vocal backing could spur his own team to greater efforts. He would not be saying that if he intended to park the bus again. No manager in the world would expect supporters to respond enthusiastically to the solidity of a defensive display. Well, in the outer reaches of a cup competition perhaps, but not in a north-west derby.
Mourinho seems to be indicating that United are ready to go for this one, as they must. Not only are they the home side, they are the team with ground to make up in the league. Thanks to those six successive wins, United would put themselves within two points of Liverpool with victory on Sunday afternoon, and everyone is aware by now that because the present top six is likely to be the top six at the end of the season, any movement within it will be mostly due to results in meetings between top-six sides.
“It is turning out to be an amazing championship,” Mourinho said. “Last season was amazing too, but in a different way. Leicester made history but the top clubs were underperforming. My team was underperforming. Manchester United was underperforming and so was Manchester City. Lots of the top clubs were doing it but this season you have weekends where all the top six are winning. Sometimes not even one drops points. The only way it is going to happen is when two of them play against each other. You need Chelsea v Tottenham for one to lose points, or Chelsea against Arsenal, or us against Liverpool or City. The top teams are really strong at the moment.”
That being the case, it appears every encounter between top-six sides this season will be viewed as a potential title decider. Even this one, now that United have put themselves in a position to stay in touch with the leaders.
Would a win against Liverpool put United back in the title race? Mourinho was not falling for that. “We are in the race to win the next match,” he said, coolly. “There are far too many points still to play for to make predictions. It is too early. But I think we can win against Liverpool, and then our interest would turn to Stoke City. Because it would be a mistake to concentrate solely on the top six. Other teams are also really good. There are many strong teams in this competition.”
Mourinho does not dispute that Liverpool are among the strongest. “They are a very good team, with a good manager,” he said. Because Liverpool have been up to second this season and because Klopp has been in situ that little bit longer than Mourinho, there is a perception that United are still slightly behind in their rebuilding, their visitors closer to the finished article. Sunday’s game is in some ways a test of United’s development. Perhaps, given the keenness of the rivalry, the ultimate test.
Only one thing is certain: United will want to be on the front foot this time, not simply content to stop their opponents as they were at Anfield. “That was necessary because of the limited time I had to work with the players,” Mourinho said. “Now we know each other much better, we have worked out a certain way to play football and we have the confidence of some good results.”
A team with David de Gea in goal and Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front certainly has a right to be confident, although in recent weeks it has been the performance of Paul Pogba in midfield that has caught the eye. It could be argued that the most expensive player in the world is always going to attract attention, whether he plays well, poorly or simply remains anonymous, though in fact of late the 23-year-old has started to look a sound investment, even at the price.
Mourinho particularly likes his eye for a goal and believes that in time he could become as prolific as Frank Lampard. “We have been making slight tactical adjustments to get him into positions where he can be dangerous, so he always has the possibility to try to score,” he explained. “I remember when I first arrived at Chelsea we were playing 4-4-2 in my first games with Frank as the inside player on the left, and it took me a couple of months to fully understand that this guy had so much potential to score goals. I had to change the system for him. I think in this moment Paul is very happy in the way the team allows him to play, and I know he can score goals. I don’t want to set targets for him but I always feel that in every game he is going to have chances to score, without being a goalscorer.”
Liverpool barely saw the real Pogba in October, when United played a disciplined game based on only 35% of possession. On Sunday afternoon, with added confidence and more time on the ball, United and their record signing should amount to a different proposition.
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LOL..... dab handball
He's still not shown to be worth anywhere near 90mil. He probably never will.
Well he certainly was potent...for the wrong team!
Maybe he just missed his calling. He looks like he'd be a pretty good basketball player. Tall, jumps high, gets his hands above his head going for a ball in the air...
This article beggars belief.
Being United is like going into Sainsbury's with £200 and coming out with only a value range tin of sardines, some horrible fizzy drink and no change whatsoever.
Just look at the salaries and the money they've paid for what are average/good players. Teams pay far less and get more out of their squads.
You mean like Spuds, who haven't won the league since 1961, the FA Cup for a quarter century and only two league cups since?
Yeah, that's great value for £728 million spent on players since the start of the PL.
Foolish point. Empires are built on slavery, exploitation and the rest. Respect to those who build empires the right way and ethically.
Spurs are the most financially sound club in the PL and the only club in net profit over the decade.
You don't really understand business as it's about ins and outs to put it simply. Know what NET is?
Is that the point of sport? To be financially sound?
You're really not going to do the net spend thing are you? Oh, do, go on!
Pogba is a fantastic footballer but, football is a team game. Utd has plenty of good individuals but lacked a system that gels the team together. This could be changing with Mourinho having more time with players and results becoming consistent. I don't see Utd as champions but I think they could pinch 4th spot and go for the title next season.
Come on you Reds then eh?
Pissing down here in Manchester so expect glorious sunshine by kick off!
Think most has been said about the game/players/gaffers and the history,so just hope the game lives up to the hype and Utd win the day.
One or two berties have infested these pages trying to get a mention for their club.
Sad.
No one gives a s** lads.
It's like when you were a kid and your with yer mates doing whatever. At the corner of your eye..some distance away,you see the loner of the area. He's on the quiet side,a bit inhibited but ok. He wants to be in the "gang" but without the invite keeps his distance.he does everything to be noticed. There is a part of you that feels sorry for him.
But..he's a citeh fan.
Then he grows up and calls himself MunkyBiz!
They seem to have got to you.. Just one half sentence mention of todays game and rest of your post about the trolls.
Loving your bitterness. It makes me smile from ear to ear with a deep satisfaction just to know that our vast riches and success pisses on your tasteless Yankee 'French fries' whilst that giant chip on your shoulder gets bigger.
Now if youll excuse me, we real supporters have a real match to watch.
We are not really here.
ctid
Posting on a United thread during a City match? Yeah, that's real support!
Sign Kroos and Varane. Perhaps Bellerin also.
That would complete the team, by the time that Zlatan fades, hopefully Ashford will either have developed to the point of being topclass and consistent, or will be sufficiently clear that another top striker is needed.
De Gea : Beleren Varane Bailly Shaw : Herrera Kroos Pogba : Mkhitaryan Martial : Ibrahimovic (or Rashford) would be an achievable 11.
Bellerin turned down Barca and City and he is never going to sign for Utd! Hector is a Gooner so keep dreaming.
if united go for it they'll lose. they need to stay calm and defend well. 1-0 to United, 1-1 or 2-1 to liverpool.
Just the three predictions then?
I never expect much at Old Trafford nor when we're playing Man United in general for that matter but today is only going to go two ways. Man United win in a dire match with few chances whilst edging to within two points of us or the more optimistic and in my mind more likely outcome, Liverpool will show that the 14 points out of 18 points they've taken from the top 7 is no fluke.
The pressure is all on United for this one: they have last season's Bundesliga player of the year (Mikhtarayan), the second highest scorer in the world next to Messi in 2016 (Zlatan), the joint highest scorer in Man Utd's history (Rooney), the most expensive player ever (Pogba) and the best goalkeeper in the world (DeGea). And they are in 6th!
Frankly if they don't win today and get at least top 3 this season, questions need to be asked of their manager.
Don't worry, we'll be fine.
The magical number here is "6". "...Mourinho has been in the job six months...", "United have won their last six league games", and United are 6th in the league, therefore we have to talk about top 6! I suppose if United were 7th in the league, then we would read: top 7! :))
At any rate, looking forward to a good game and let us hope we're not disappointed. Any result that adds up to 6 would be interesting: 4-2, 2-4, 3-3, 1-5, 5-1, 6-0 or 0-6!
I look forward to Pogba belting it miles over the bar on at least 4 occasions today, as he does every time I see him play. I really don't understand United's confidence going into this one. As Jurgen said yesterday United have maybe looked good recently because they haven't been playing us every week. I can't wait for this game. Should be a cracker. YNWA
You've certainly done a good job making Sunderland, Plymouth & Southampton good lately.
I reckon close game, not swashbuckling but interesting for the addicted... won by a single goal, due to a mistake or a dubious decision... punt for Fellaini to get the winner, 2-1... and send me 15% of your earnings please
Can't wait to watch this much-anticipated has-beens derby.. guaranteed an engrossing shitfest.
Mate, not long now - you're kicking off at 13:30.
And yet no one considers city a big enough game to call a true derby
City aren't has-beens, Everton maybe.. we had sod all, mate.. there's no denying that.. But the future looks bright.
Go Reds.
the right ones? or the wrong ones?
The right ones.
Wish I shared the confidence of my fellow United fans - and, seemingly, pundit-world. I'm starting to fear that there is a bit too much over-confidence floating around , creating the perfect environment for a Liverpool 'upset'.
can there be 'upsets' in these games? United fan, not at all assured of victory, but gladly not fearful either, bring it on!
I honestly wouldn't want to call it. I'm not calling it. Liverpool is missing a lot of people I'd rather they had, and who knows what kind of fitness Coutinho is in.
I hope Mourinho doesn't play Mata...he seems to always play well in the derby.
One word: ZLATAN
Quietly optimistic for a decent United performance and a win.
Quietly optimistic for a decent Liverpool performance and a win.
Well good luck, lets see how it ends up!
Pogba to score.
Utd by two clear goals.
Massive fingers crossed for no dodgy ref interference............either way.
Lots of debate on how good Pogba actually is, so if not him who is the best central midfielder in the league ? Personally it's between him and Kante for me.
Dembele.
Not on the same level as the other two for me. Pochetino is doing an amazing job though.
JM might not say what this game means but I will. If Man United lose then their target remains top 4. No guarantees but that is a sensible target. If we win, then top 3 is the target. If we keep on the run we are on and others slip up them we can consider top 2, but this is dependant on others. Going for the number 1 spot is so far off there is no point thinking about it unless Chelsea start imploding.
Top 2 is the target if they win.
What's the difference between 2nd and 4th, really? Neither is first but all of them get you into Champions League.
Why are the media building up Pogba ? He's had his moments of late, but then so has Barkley, the lad needs to do more on the pitch. Actions not words.
As a die hard LFC fan for over 40 years I got 100 quid on a United win, both teams to score. You can thank me later for the tip.
die soft fan surely
I think Pogba is a fine player but reading article after article about what an amazing player he is just smacks of hype. It's like the media are willing him to be a worldie, which he isn't. There are better midfielders plying their trade in the Prem right now.
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