The manager is hoping the derby atmosphere will inspire the players in tomorrow’s game…
Brendan Rodgers has been talking to the press ahead of tomorrow’s big game against Manchester United, and as ever, the manager is looking on the bright side.
“The game against Manchester United is perfect for us and we hope to take confidence and spirit into the game,” the Telegraph quote the boss as saying.
“It’s more than a football game – you’re representing a city and a group of supporters where there has been a great rivalry over many years.
“You’ve just got to find the ways to refocus the minds of the players, forget and learn from the experiences, and look at it as an opportunity to go and get onto a winning run.”
It’s a refreshingly positive outlook on a game that looks like it could go very badly for the Reds. United are on a winning run despite their poor performances, while our form remains at rock bottom.
But Rodgers does have a point. These big derby games are the perfect opportunity for the team to get inspired and grab a win. That would certainly give the club a massive boost and could well set us on a run.
United aren’t nearly as good as they look. They were incredibly lucky to beat Southampton on Monday night. They could barely string three passes together, but their undoubted quality up front won through in the end.
They were reliant on David de Gea to save them against Stoke, and could easily have lost to Arsenal. Their defence continues to be plagued with injuries, and their back three looked particularly shaky. They’re not nearly as good as their form suggests.
Derby games are always unpredictable. Let’s just hope the players take Brendan’s advice and use the atmosphere to their advantage, rather than being crushed by it.