Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson expects an easy victory for Liverpool against Manchester United in the Premier League Northwest derby
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson believes Liverpool can rip Manchester United to shreds in the Northwest derby at Anfield. Liverpool are currently at the top of the Premier League table while United lie in sixth position.
The Reds have a 10-point gap against their historic rivals and must continue their winning run in the Premier League. The top side is congested with Arsenal, Aston Villa and Manchester City being too close to Liverpool in points tally.
Meanwhile, United are fighting to stay close to the top four after facing a nightmare season so far. They have already crashed out of the Champions League and the Carabao Cup in a humiliating fashion.
United are facing an injury crisis with on-form defender Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw suffering injury against Bayern Munich. Additionally, the suspension of their captain Bruno Fernandes, who has accrued five yellow cards, necessitates a one-match ban.
At the same time, the Reds have an injury issue of their own with Alexis Mac Allister sidelined with injury. Liverpool have already lost Joel Matip and Andy Robertson to long-term injuries this season while Thiago is still unavailable.
Merson wrote in his column at Sportskeeda that he expects Liverpool to dominate their historical rivals at Anfield. He said:
“I expect Liverpool to rip them[Manchester United] to shreds, so I’m going for a 3-0 home win. Alexis Mac Allister is a massive injury doubt, but Jurgen Klopp has a few options to choose from in midfield. Wataru Endo has played a few games recently and Harvey Elliott’s cameos have been impressive, but I think Curtis Jones is someone who knows how big this game is, so I expect him to start at Anfield.”
The Reds registered a historic 7-0 win against United at Anfield last season in March, humiliating their rivals. Liverpool cannot take United lightly despite their struggles and current issues with performance and injuries.
The Merseyside giant have faced issues with complacency this season, struggling to be clinical in front of goal. Liverpool’s attack has faced criticism for lacking composure to wrap up the games, costing them the game against Luton Town.
Merse has his say ahead of Liverpool vs Man United pic.twitter.com/K4gIvLyFDo
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 15, 2023
Furthermore, Liverpool have conceded first in many games this season even though they managed to turn things around. The Reds have been strong in defence but tend to lose concentration which opens up the space for opposition.
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A win against United can give Liverpool the extra boost of confidence to reach their optimum level of performance. The Reds have been fantastic but they still look like a team that has not reached their top level yet. They need to reach that level to build consistency and a potentially healthy gap against their title rivals.
