THERE will be some frightened players in the Manchester United team before Sunday’s trip to Anfield.
When a club is in crisis — and facing the likelihood of an absolute hiding — you can feel the fear in the dressing room.
GettyErik ten Hag and Man Utd face a nightmare against Liverpool’s Red Arrows on Sunday[/caption]
You can tell those who are scared because they start acting differently.
Quiet blokes will start shouting and hollering for the TV cameras in the tunnel — those who are normally vocal and bubbly will become quiet and subdued.
There will be unrest in that squad after United crashed out of Europe with defeat against Bayern Munich on the back of a 3-0 home thrashing by Bournemouth.
Some players, especially those not in the starting line-up, will be bitching about the manager.
Others will be adamant that their team-mates are letting the side down and demanding an upturn.
It is not a nice play to be. And Anfield is rarely a nice place for a visiting team to play at the best of times.
Heading to Liverpool — the scene of a 7-0 demolition last season — is the worst possible fixture United could have after a disastrous week.
My main memories of playing at Liverpool’s stadium with Watford are pretty harrowing — a 6-1 defeat and a couple of 5-0s.
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On one of those occasions, I can recall Mo Salah performing a “chop” and sending three of our defenders sliding in the wrong direction.
Jurgen Klopp’s team are an absolute nightmare to play against.
From the first whistle, they come at you like the Red Arrows. They absolutely suffocate you with the intensity of their football.
There are times when you wonder whether you’ll ever get the ball back.
And when you do, they’re back at you two seconds later. I’m talking about playing at Anfield for Watford. But the reality is likely to be very similar for United.
They are an ordinary team, with no obvious identity and very little leadership. If United are hammered by Liverpool again, it really could be the end of Erik ten Hag.
Jose Mourinho was binned after a defeat at Anfield five years ago and the same fate could easily befall the Dutchman.
There are some very good players in that United squad. The likes of Raphael Varane and Casemiro have won several European Cups.
United are going backwards, both individually and collectively
Troy Deeney
Summer signings like Andre Onana and Mason Mount were sought-after players a few months ago.
And I am not sure how a club can spend about £90million on Jadon Sancho — in transfer fee and wages — only to waste his talent.
United are going backwards, both individually and collectively.
The only positive for them is that captain Bruno Fernandes is suspended tomorrow.
He’s a talented player but his sulking and histrionics are setting the tone for the entire team.
United are in disarray — the manager has no obvious plan to get them out of this mess and it feels like the endgame.
Liverpool versus United used to be one of the great fixtures in English football, perhaps the greatest of all. Not any longer.
Sunday, you will tune into watch it wondering how many Liverpool will win by.
FALL FROM GRACE
GettyUnited are without captain Bruno Fernandes for their trip to Anfield[/caption]
That is not good enough for a great club like Manchester United but that’s the reality.
In three of their last four matches against Klopp’s side, United have lost 4-0, 5-0 and 7-0.
Most people expected this to be a season of transition at Liverpool, after Klopp completely overhauled his midfield.
But here they are, top of the table in December without having played particularly well in many games.
The Reds are finding a way to win. They have the desire and belief to keep coming back from behind.
Klopp’s team have lost only once in the Premier League this season — when they were robbed by VAR at Tottenham — and they have a 100 per cent home record.
I’m loving watching Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield. He is such a creative talent and it stops everyone moaning that he’s not great at defending the far post.
I do not understand the negativity with Trent. The focus on the one or two things he can’t do well, when he has been scoring free-kicks and making countless assists.
Liverpool are developing all the time. In the summer it seemed as though they had more money to spend — they were in for Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who both ended up at Chelsea.
So if they can bring in one or two quality players in the January window the Reds are capable of winning another title.
As for United, they couldn’t be much further away from challenging for the game’s major honours.
That dressing room is going to be a fearful place tomorrow. And United have plenty to be frightened about.
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