JOSE MOURINHO RETURNS to Anfield on Saturday with his Manchester United team in far finer fettle than on their last trip to face Liverpool 12 months ago.
United had their backs to the wall in October 2016, successive defeats against Manchester City and Watford having snuffed out their early-season optimism, and were content to chisel out a 0-0 draw.
A year on they are soaring, six wins and a draw in their opening seven Premier League games putting them level on points with leaders Manchester City.
Mourinho’s men have been similarly imperious in the Champions League, scoring seven goals in one-sided wins over Basel and CSKA Moscow, and average 3.2 goals per game in all competitions.
Having been targeting top spot prior to last season’s equivalent fixture, Liverpool are now the team on the back foot.
A return of five points from four league outings has left them seventh in the table, they have drawn both of their Champions League games to date and were knocked out of the League Cup by Leicester City.
An injury to Sadio Mane has robbed manager Jurgen Klopp of a vital attacking player and both Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino could be low on gas after playing for Brazil in mid-week.
Klopp can nevertheless point to an excellent record in head-to-head matches against other top-six sides, having suffered only two defeats in 20 such contests since his arrival in October 2015.
The trip to Merseyside therefore represents United’s first major test of the campaign and they can expect the same ferocious reception that is reserved for them whenever they cross their arch rivals’ threshold.
Mourinho has plenty of history with the Anfield crowd.
Stung by the ‘ghost goal’ by Luis Garcia that knocked his Chelsea team out of the Champions League in 2005, he celebrated provocatively when Chelsea’s 2-0 win at Anfield imperilled Liverpool’s title bid in 2014.
Mindful of the expectations his side’s recent performances have generated, Mourinho has attempted to play down the significance of the match.
- ‘Just a match’ -
It’s three points,” he said. “It happened this season. An opposition player told me: ‘This match for us is like a cup final.’ And I thought: ‘Pfff, why?’
“When you are in a big club, when you are a big player, when you are a big manager, every game is important. You cannot look at some matches as cup finals and other matches differently.
Do I like to go to Anfield? Yes, I love it. Do I like to play against Liverpool? Yes. I like amazing stadiums, the best opponents, but the preparation is not different. It’s just a match.”
Mane’s absence increases the burden on Mohamed Salah, who failed to make the grade under Mourinho at Chelsea before enjoying a career renaissance in Italy.
He has scored six goals in his first 11 Liverpool games and goes into Saturday’s match after scoring the stoppage-time penalty against Congo that ended Egypt’s 28-year wait to qualify for a World Cup.
It’s a big game on Saturday. Everyone in the world will watch the game,” Salah told the Liverpool website.
“We always fight in each game, but this game is a big game and can make a difference for us. We have to improve our place in the table.”
Mane faces up to six weeks out with a hamstring injury sustained on international duty with Senegal and Klopp could also be without centre-back Dejan Lovren.
Mourinho, too, had reason to curse the international break after Marouane Fellaini damaged knee ligaments during Belgium’s 4-3 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
With Paul Pogba also sidelined and Michael Carrick having missed United’s last two games, the visitors are likely to line up with Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera in central midfield.
Liverpool will use the occasion to officially unveil Anfield’s newly named Kenny Dalglish Stand, which was formerly known as the Centenary Stand.
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After my comments on the journal last night, I’d like to say I feel I went a bit over the top with a number of people regarding the Irish team selection. I felt my comments were judge-mental and rude and for that I’d like to take this chance to
apologize,
To absolutely NOBODY. All you fan boys can keep being salty. Farrell has picked burns as the main kicker who nearly missed a kick in front of the posts on Sunday. Nothing even has to be said for Keith Earls. Absolutely shocking team.
@Dave: Johnny missed touch last week too and on many occasions in the past, it happens. I believe Earls has a proven record at test level. Still one of the fastest in the squad, great in the air and defensively sound. Whereas you’re track record shows something far less desirable
@Dave: t
@Dave: that’s really clever what you did there! I was hooked, so excited about this apology from some random man on the internet, but then you totally flipped it!! So clever. Well done!!
@Dave: you must be feeling a little lonely over on Twitter with your 6 followers, but hopefully you’ll get a response over here to your trolling.
@Dave: Conor MacGregor called, he wants his shtick back
@Dave: come on pal, you haven’t seen your wife and kids in 3 days. Put the phone down and go downstairs
@Sam Murray: pretty sure the wife has left him
@David Nugent: pretty sure a gowl lile him never has a wife to begin with. Who’d have him?
@JarvisOFlaherterahry: ha ha
@Dave: Lol! Brilliant.
Sexton and Murray haven’t given a performece for a long time. Let’s give the new fellas a chance…
@Leonard O’mahony: nonsense, Sexton may have been a little bit off his usual outstanding self lately but hasn’t been a million miles off and Murray was poor early last year but is having one of his best seasons this time around. In saying that I’m delighted other lads are getting a chance in a big game
I’m 95% sure Sexton would of been jogging out Sunday afternoon if it wasn’t for this doctor, I’d say his wife and mum wouldn’t let him play tbh and fair enough.
@hypebeast: you’d be wrong then. I’d imagine the doctors in the Irish camp would uphold their professionalism regardless
I was deflated reading the team today. But on reflection even if we lose this will be a good thing. Hopefully the younger guys get a taste of what its like to play a proper French team. Im sure its heart over head stuff but I think this team have so much to prove and will want to win for Farrell and co especially given the doctors unprofessional comments. Casey and Byrne might come on and give a Stringer and O Gara type performance to win a close game in the dying minutes. In the words of Christopher Reeve “Once you choose hope anythings possible”
While it is never good players’ losing spots due to injury or misfortune, I am somewhat looking forward to seeing why sort of bench Ireland has ahead of the RWC2023. Sexton, Murray, O’Mahony, Earls, Healy all need to be replaced. So while I have sympathy for the injured (not for O’Mahony as he was just stupid), I am glad that these guys are getting a shot. I think the average age of the Irish squad is at least 5 years too old to be considered contenders in 2023.
@Corkonian In Dublin: you say that you “think”, I suggest you find something you’re good at instead.
We’re going to lose anyway so might as well give a few young guys a chance
Plenty of rumours whispering about Sextons field of vision being impaired. It may be time. Just saying.