Former United man: Liverpool are devastating
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has said that Liverpool are devastating ahead of their Premier League game on Saturday.
The game on the weekend will be United’s biggest test of the season, while a win could send a signal to the rest of the league that the Anfield club means business.
Despite missing Sadio Mane due to injury, Liverpool can still put out a frightening attack that is spearheaded by some of the hottest names in football right now.
Egyptian Mohamed Salah is being treated like a god for his World Cup qualifying heroics against Congo, while Philippe Coutinho may be an irritating little snake he’s still one of the best players in the league.
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Add to that firepower the trickery of Roberto Firmino or the sharpshooter finishing of Daniel Sturridge and you have a front three that’ll put fear into any team, even without Mane.
Writing on the Sky Sports website, Neville said: “Liverpool can only play one way and are always devastating in that first 30 minutes, so United have to survive that.
“It always felt that way when I played at Anfield that if you can get through that first 30 minutes then it becomes a different game.”
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United are without their gun midfielder Marouane Fellaini (how weird does it feel to read that) and could miss Phil Jones, who has been a massive part of their success this season.
For that reason, Joe Mourinho’s team are going to have to be so watchful and careful in the opening minutes at Anfield as Liverpool are sure to come out of the blocks quickly.
Mourinho normally likes to park the bus during games like this, but Neville reckons the Portuguese gaffer will look to be more attacking.
“What I would expect is similar tactics from last season but with more ambition on the counter-attack.
“Paul Pogba is a big absence with his arrogance on the ball, so they will defend deep. But whereas there was a back six at times away at Anfield last season, they can commit more on the break,” the former Red Devil defender added.
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This is already a massive fixture without any fuel being added to the fire, but both teams will be desperate to lay down a market and to get one over their closest rivals. Expect a thousand-miles-an-hour start in which the Reds devastating attack causes havoc.