Chris Sutton is ‘absolutely certain’ of one thing which’ll happen when Liverpool host Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp’s side currently sit top of the Premier League and have the chance to extend the gap to tomorrow’s opponents to 13 points if they can preserve their 100% home record so far this season.
The Reds have double the number of top-flight goals that Erik ten Hag’s squad have mustered in the campaign up to this point, while memories of the 7-0 thumping in this fixture last term are bound to be somewhere in the minds of both sets of players.
In his previews of the weekend’s action for BBC Sport, Sutton stopped short of predicting a repeat of that fabled scoreline but has backed Liverpool to repeat the 4-0 thrashing they administered to United when they met at Anfield in the season prior.
The pundit declared: “With the attacking players that Liverpool have got, I am absolutely certain that they will win. I honestly don’t think United have a chance.
“The injuries that defenders Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw suffered against Bayern are a blow for Erik ten Hag’s side and, at the other end, they barely carry a threat. United can only win by playing counter-attack but for that to work their forwards will need to offer far more than we’ve seen from them recently.”
Sutton added: “Going forward, the combinations are just not there in the United team. They have only scored 18 goals in 16 league games this season, and they just don’t carry a big enough threat.
“United still haven’t beaten anyone in the top half of the table, either. [Note: They did beat Fulham, who currently sit 10th but were 14th at the time of their defeat to the Red Devils in November] How can they win this game? There is just no way, unless some huge refereeing decisions go their way.
“Liverpool are not just in the top half, they are a top team and they are in top spot – and they are going to spank them.”
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Based on the teams’ respective league positions, Liverpool’s perfect record at Anfield, and the vast scoring disparity between the two (something also highlighted by Graeme Souness), the Reds should prevail tomorrow if they play to their best.
An injury-riddled United are certainly there for the taking, not least with their mood at such a low ebb after the hammering by Bournemouth a week ago and the subsequent exit from Europe after they finished bottom of their Champions League group.
However, you only need to go back to last season for a cautionary tale about how, in the midst of an apparent crisis, Ten Hag’s team can summon a big performance in a big game to defy their critics. Following a 4-0 thrashing at Brentford in August 2022, they came good in their next match to defeat Jurgen Klopp’s side at Old Trafford.
You’d have to imagine that they’ll have a huge point to prove tomorrow, too, after the week they’ve had and the historic scoreline at Anfield nine months ago, while their status as underdogs in the eyes of many pundits will surely serve as massive motivation to get one over on their biggest rivals.
It won’t be a formality for Liverpool, that’s for sure, but if our attitude is right and our quality shines through, we should have enough to top up the wins column, even if it mightn’t be as emphatic as what Sutton is predicting.
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