Most Manchester United supporters are almost certainly dreading the trip to Liverpool FC this weekend, and understandably so. This seems like the worst time to be playing your arch-nemesis: they’re riding sky high, you’re down in the depths.
However, as Obi-Wan Kenobi said in Return of the Jedi, “you’ll find that some of the truths that we hold most dear depend on out point of view.”
Manchester United at Liverpool FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Jan 4, 4:30 pm, Anfield, Liverpool, UK
PL Form, Standing: Manchester United LWLLL 14th, 22 pts Liverpool FC DDWWW 1st, 45 pts
Preview Content: Team News for Both Sides
Match Prediction: go here
Google Result Probability: Liverpool 75% Draw 15% Manchester United 10%
Yes, “a certain point of view.”
This season, check that the current state of the club is at nadir. Things are way down at 1986 levels, so what would it take to shake supporters out of the doldrums and re-galvanize them?
Getting a win over the top of the table side- that is exciting to be sure. But having that shock victory over the league leaders when it’s also your arch-rival?
And in front of their fans too to boot?
Maybe this game is actually coming at the right time, because any result here that’s not a loss is house money. No one expects anything but a Liverpool rout, so a victory would be extremely pleasantly surprising.
Starting XI Predictions
Man United
Andre Onana; Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez; Noussair Mazraoui, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, Diogo Dalot; Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes; Rasmus Hojlund
Liverpool
Alisson Becker; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarrell Quansah, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson; Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister; Mo Salah, Dominic Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo; Luis Diaz
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.