Jamie Carragher has issued his prediction for Liverpool’s Premier League clash against Manchester United on Sunday, along with a rather unflattering verdict on both teams.
A win for the home side at Old Trafford would see them do the double over their arch-rivals this season and confirm Champions League qualification, while victory for Arne Slot’s team would move them above their opponents into third place.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAY
The Reds will be striving to maintain their improved form which saw them win all three of their top-flight games in April and now has them close to guaranteeing a top-five finish, with Gary Neville saying he is ‘95%-99% certain‘ they’ll be in the Champions League again next term.
Carragher unconvinced by both Liverpool and Man United
Although both teams have shown signs of improvement after a difficult period earlier in the season, Carragher hasn’t been particularly convinced by either of them, and he’s predicting a share of the spoils on Sunday.
He told That Peter Crouch Podcast: “Man United versus Liverpool – I’m not confident. I’m not. I don’t think United are playing well, to be fair. I think Liverpool are getting results without playing well. I’m not convinced by them at all, to be honest, at the minute. I can’t see Liverpool winning it.
“I’m going to go for a 1-1 draw. I think these teams will probably finish third and fourth in the Premier League, but I don’t think either of them are a really good team, to be honest.”
Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust
Liverpool getting results without being world-beating
Liverpool’s upturn in form has made this fixture seem less daunting than it did a month ago, and they’d actually secure Champions League qualification on Sunday if they win and both Brighton (away to Newcastle) and Bournemouth (at home to Crystal Palace) drop points over the weekend.
There’s some truth in Carragher’s view that recent performances haven’t been quite as good as the results would suggest – they needed a last-gasp Virgil van Dijk goal to beat Everton and were clinging onto a 2-1 lead against the Eagles last Saturday before Florian Wirtz’s stoppage-time strike.
After such a tough season for the Reds, though, we’d all have taken a sequence of three wins by any means necessary, and it’s put us in a position whereby a draw at Old Trafford could be viewed as a decent point earned rather than two dropped.
As Neville has said, a win on Sunday could have huge implications for either coach. If Man United triumph, Michael Carrick’s chances of getting the job permanently would increase. If Liverpool avenge the Anfield defeat from last October, it’d feel like an enormous fillip for Slot after the pressure he’s been under in recent months.
If this is another one of those games where the Merseysiders don’t play particularly well but come away with all three points, we’d happily sign up for that right now!
Both teams are bang Average, Liverpool have gone 10 steps backwards from what they were last season, and the reason behind that is it was the last remnants of the work klopp did at Liverpool. Slot with his ideas and training methods the lack of pressing, poorly organised , has slowly but surely destroyed what klopp built, we are now in decline.
I look at Manchester United, and it’s been poor decision making from their owners, since Ferguson they haven’t picked the right manager.
From Moyes, van Gaal, Mourinho, solskjaer, ten hag,
Amorim and now Carrick.
Every manager apart from van Gaal has played counter attacking football. Sit back, even at home and counter. You won’t progress like that. Carrick is doing the same.
I predict that United will do the same again, defend deep, let Liverpool come in to them , wait for the right moments and pick us off on the break.
Its effective, not pretty to watch but United can score goals. They’ve had good results playing this way over the years. We , Liverpool can’t defend, the midfield can’t tackle, it’s lightweight, especially from set pieces. Manchester United to win and score from a corner, set piece.
Look at players at Manchester United, none of these players would have lived with the teams that Ferguson built. One of the worst United teams I’ve ever seen, they’ve already beaten us this season which sums up where we are going under slot.
Two great clubs who are in terminal decline.
Why did van Gaal get sacked? He didn’t play counter attacking football, but much like slot his style was slow ponderous methodical football, in a 352 he won an fa cup, made poor signings and got the chop.
Manchester United were built by playing wingers and fast direct attacking football.
You can go right through premier league history at all Dutch manager’s and all in the end have failed.
Slot will be sacked soon enough.