Could it be 5 losses in a row for United?
Manager Ruben Amorim stepped into the United role much like any other top manager without knowing exactly what he was getting into. The Portuguese head coach was a major success at Sporting Lisbon and was hailed as the cure for a disease that has infected United with a case of underwhelming performances and tiresome, flat football.
However, the Red Devils are 14th in the Premier League table, with just four wins in 11 games and with a trip to Anfield set for Sunday they have the odds stacked against them to avoid their fifth loss on the bounce. A loss could force them down to 15th place if Crystal Palace beat Chelsea, meaning they will be just a few points away from the relegation zone.
Amorim would likely bite your hand off if you offered him a draw against the league leaders and United’s biggest rivals which shows you exactly where the club are at the moment. 5 losses in a row is not good enough for any team let alone one of the most successful clubs in England.
Will Mohammed Salah’s record against United continue?
Is Salah the best player in the world right now? That is debatable. Is he incredible against United and scored more goals (12) and provided more assists (6) against United than any other player in Premier League history? Yes he has. The Egyptian king loves a goal against United and cannot help himself in front of goal in recent years.
This campaign he is on target to land the Golden Boot and Playmaker awards this season, having scored 17 goals and provided 13 assists despite it only being January. The Egyptian turns 33 in June, but is currently on course to deliver the best minutes-per-goal contribution ratio in Premier League history.
All signs point towards another goal haul this Sunday against Amorim’s beleaguered side, there is no stopping Salah when he is on form and with the Anfield crowd behind him we may see a replica of the 7-0 scoreline from 2023 where he scored and assisted twice to slaughter United.
The return of Bruno Fernandes
Midfielders Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte both return after being sorely missed in United’s 2-0 loss to Newcastle United last week through suspension. Fernandes will captain the side in the hopes of holding their ground and fending off Liverpool in an attempt to snatch a shock win or at least a point against the league leaders.
Manager Arne Slot will likely go for the throat will an all out attack tactical style whilst Amorim could order Fernandes to push his side deep into their own half and deal damage on the counterattack with the likes of Amad Diallo and the returning Marcus Rashford on the wing.
With every cloud there is a silver lining and despite United’s dire form, Fernandes is perhaps their strongest player and brings a sense of leadership to an unorganized and disheveled side. His quality allows him to setup as well as score goals out of nothing which is exactly what United need this weekend, can he rally his side and grab a result? Only time will tell.