Topic: Harry Maguire considering his options thread

[Zoomers]

We just need to do our bit and batter them on Sunday, we'll put back in their place.

[kj999]

A lot of people ridiculing this post, but while it's stupid to write us off, he's right that United do have a real chance. People need to stop thinking about who's the better side overall (which, in a 'normal' PL season, is what would prevail), and realise that this isn't a normal season at all and that strange things are happening - bizarre variances of luck with injuries, genuinely terrible refereeing, no crowds, and lack of preparation, both prior to the season and during it. All this makes everything more random.

It's not about whether we've got a better team/squad than United in ideal circumstances (we obviously do), or even whether we're better on our day this season (we are) - right now it's about getting the luck and riding it and United are doing that the past 5 weeks.

I personally think City will win the title (we're also better than them on a 'level' playing field), but it'd be mad to say United don't have a decent chance.

Yes but its also about who's "been there, done it, got the T-Shirt" when the going gets tough in the run-in... as we know to our bitter cost, we went to pieces under scrutiny in run-ins and 30 years of 'nearly' bore it's weight, time and time again.

The mental strength and experience of title run-ins will play its part again.

That's why us or City will win it, and these charlatans will not.

[88_RED]

Struggled against a piss poor Burnley side. They look knackered to me. Flat out. They're done.

Reminds me of another team that won the league last season.. 

[88_RED]

Tough game on Sunday irrespective of who plays for them..
Even at our best, we have struggled against these c*nts..

The fact that they have momentum, form and are top of the table might actually play into our hands..

Hopefully form is temporary and class is permanent..

Any win will do..

[Smellytrabs]

We'll put them on their arse, then they'll fall away like Spurs did.

[Crosby Nick]

It is an unusual season and therefore they along with about 6 teams will think they could win it. They have more depth than most. However they don’t look to be playing well. This winning run has seen deflected winners and penalty winners. It doesn’t feel sustainable for another 21 games. They’ve needed a fair bit of luck just to get their noses slightly in front.

They could kick on, City and us could fall away but all things considered I don’t think them winning it is the most likely scenario. Fine, there’s a small chance they could but if this was any other team people would be writing them off (see Leicester last year for example).

[rob1966]

Null and Void the season (insert bullshit reason, fake outrage here)

[jillcwhomever]

I wouldn't be sure about Utd. They keep doing what's needed. I can see them winning it. We certainly won't, thrown away to many points against poor teams after working so hard against the better teams.

On another day, I would think this was a fishing post, but sadly I think you actually believe this. I just cannot get over the mentality of some fans to be honest.

[Lfc19ynwa]

Paul Pogba says Manchester United are ready for 'big moment' against Liverpool

Looks like it might only be 10 men behind the ball instead of the usual 11 on Sunday

[oldman]

just saw their winning goal - spawny bastards .
so in their last three games they've had two deflected winners and a non penalty winner - 6 spawny points.

what would we have given for some of that luck  in the last three games.

thats been the only difference over the last few games .Our form has dropped but they have been shite all season

their unbelievable amount of luck can not continue - it stops on sunday
we are a much better team than these.

[Suedehead]

We aren't going to win the league but our form for the last 12 months is title race form, it's the best in the country since Bruno arrived at the end of January last year so I'd like to think 12 months is a decent representative period of time. We're beating pretty much all the fodder and taking the odd point in the big games... we used to win leagues that way 10-15 years ago when the average winning points tally was around 78-84pts, not the crazy highs of recent years, and this year has a feel of a 78-84pt champions' season.

Still think we'll finish 6-8 points behind Liverpool and City - a coin toss for who wins it.

[El Lobo]

Nothing offensive there but honestly do you not find it a little embarrassing to only emerge from your cesspit now, and I suspect will disappear back as soon as your form drops off....?

[redk84]

They will definitely play not to lose on Sunday...as they usually do.

Credit to them they have taken advantage of our recent poor form and City's earlier poor form. Think they were fighting to get back in the top 4 race and have found themselves top surprisingly, challenging for the league is something they are not used to so will be interesting to see how they handle the pressure.

[Prelude no.5]

They will definitely play not to lose on Sunday...as they usually do.

Credit to them they have taken advantage of our recent poor form and City's earlier poor form. Think they were fighting to get back in the top 4 race and have found themselves top surprisingly, challenging for the league is something they are not used to so will be interesting to see how they handle the pressure.

Or maybe that's the thing. They have no pressure, from being expected to fight for a Top 4 place to league leaders, they're not expected to compete at the top so anything above 4th place is a welcome bonus.

[AlphaDelta]

United being top of the league is like being on a moped when the lights change to green. You know you can whizz off ahead of everyone else for a few seconds, but ultimately you know your limitations and will soon fall away behind the pack. 

[RedKenWah]

We just need to beat them on Sunday and then we can kick start our momentum. Only time will tell if that happens though.

[Fruity]

There is no doubt United could win it but currently I doubt they will. I don't think the have beaten any decent side when they have needed to. They have momentum and they also have belief that if they go a goal or two down they can still come back in games. But a couple of losses could change that. With that said I certainly didn't think Leicester would win it when they did so anything is possible.

They are not the best team in the league. City's recent performances are more like the best team in the league and our recent performances are nowhere near it. However when we have had to, we beat Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester, Tottenham - all supposed contenders, so I am hoping we can do the same Sunday. We are the better team but we need to start performing like it.

[MJD-L4]

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12186475/gary-neville-tells-manchester-united-to-get-carried-away-after-going-top-of-premier-league

Perfect! I'd encourage all you mancs lurking to take Gary's advice and get carried away. It'll only make your tears taste sweeter when the inevitable happens 

[Clayton Bigsby]

It's been a while since this game meant anything from a title point of view for both sides. I'm thinking 2008/9 but maybe my memory is failing me slightly.

Still the biggest game in the league. I don't think we will have too many problems as I expect they will play to not lose and that will play right into our hands

[ScouserAtHeart]

They have momentum of course. The sooner that stops the better

[Suedehead]

Nothing offensive there but honestly do you not find it a little embarrassing to only emerge from your cesspit now, and I suspect will disappear back as soon as your form drops off....?

No not at all - tbf I don't post much anyway, 60 odd in 4 years. I'll stick to lurking. And yes with the kids off school at the moment, it is a bit of a cesspit right now.

[Mr Benn please?]

Blimey, the absolute state of some of the posts in this thread lately! Some people have seemingly given up on one of the best Liverpool teams ever, which is managed by Jürgen Klopp, the best manager in world football. Get a grip, FFS!!

[stewy17]

I can't believe how threatened people in here seem to be about United as a title proposition or as a proposition to beat the reds at home at the weekend.

There is fuck all chance of either and we are by far and away a better team than them, even without Virgil.

If we turn up, which we will, we win comfortably.

[rob1966]

I won't write them off because of how nuts this season is. Leicester were written off, they weren't good, but they kept getting the results. No bones about it, these are shit, but they are consistent in picking up points, we're not, we keep dropping stupid points. Hopefully once Jota returns we reverse that

City are my biggest worry though.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

City are my biggest worry though.

Not worried by City at all.

If they win the league they'll only be on 7 titles.

Utd win it they'll be on 21.

[rob1966]

Not worried by City at all.

If they win the league they'll only be on 7 titles.

Utd win it they'll be on 21.

Yeah, but City can realistically stop us getting to 20 this year, whereas, even though you cannot discount this shower due to the nature of this season, I don't actually expect them to win it.

[elsewhere]

Now that they won the league yesterday, we really have to win the FA cup match against them.

[Ghost Town]

Now that they won the league yesterday, we really have to win the FA cup match against them.

  According to the wise heads of RAWK, the ones that 'tell it like it is' this lot have won the league every week for the past month or so. They must be on about 26 titles by now.

[your djemba djembas]

Credit to Rashford this week again. The guy deserves a lot of credit. Shame there's no fans to show appreciation on Sunday

[Schmarn]

just saw their winning goal - spawny bastards .
so in their last three games they've had two deflected winners and a non penalty winner - 6 spawny points.

what would we have given for some of that luck  in the last three games.

thats been the only difference over the last few games .Our form has dropped but they have been shite all season

their unbelievable amount of luck can not continue - it stops on sunday
we are a much better team than these.

They are lucky no doubt but you aren’t going to get a deflected goal unless you take a shot and too often we pass up the chance to shoot in favour of playing sideways and backwards, sometimes even inside the box.

That said I don’t think they’ll be in contention for the title, City are our true rivals at this moment in time. But we need to rediscover what worked well for us last year and win on Sunday. They will park the bus and play on the counter which is a bigger threat than last year now we have no pace at centre back but the solution is to dominate possession and strangle them and where appropriate use our own threat on the counter.

No need to concern ourselves with what the table looks like now. Completely irrelevant.

[hide5seek]

I can't believe how threatened people in here seem to be about United as a title proposition or as a proposition to beat the reds at home at the weekend.

There is fuck all chance of either and we are by far and away a better team than them, even without Virgil.

If we turn up, which we will, we win comfortably.

to be honest your last line was the point I was trying to make but made very poorly and then the keyboard warrior abuse licked off.
I do not think they're a better team than us, and certainly, Oli is nowhere near Klopp managerial rise/personality rise. What I do however believe is were not turning up enough and they are.
WE actually turn up as a team I see no team in Europe beating us.
Yes, Utd is getting a lot of luck with shit referring favouring them and dodgy penalties, nothing we can do about that.
BUT, it is my firm belief they're only top and in with a chance (same with city) because we've helped them by dropping points in games our kids would win.

For those that wish to abuse me carry on.

[Zimagic]

their unbelievable amount of luck can not continue - it stops on sunday

Every time I think that, I remember that season where DeGea was essentially God in goals and relegation-form xG against turned into a pretty amazing season for them. Spawny barstuds. I think we win on Sunday but we have to play better than we did against WBA, Newcastle & Southampton.

[B0151?]

The last time the Prem leader had as low as 36 points at this stage was us in 13/14. A couple of games later, we were 5th

Of course, we know who then went top for the next few weeks...

Arsenal

[Clint Eastwood]

They have a great deal of momentum right now with a lot of luck from penalties/VAR and injuries. They aren’t playing well but they are grinding out results. I don’t think they’re good enough to win a tight title race and I think Guardiola will be happy that there seems to be zero expectation on City, who should really be the favourites right now. We need our luck to turn, but I don’t think United are good enough to go all the way as ourselves and City.

The main frustration for me is that we’ve allowed them to build a title challenge.

[Crosby Nick]

The last time the Prem leader had as low as 36 points at this stage was us in 13/14. A couple of games later, we were 5th

Of course, we know who then went top for the next few weeks...

Arsenal

From memory we were top at Christmas and then had a very tough run of City and Chelsea back to back which we lost. Assume that’s the point we fell to 5th?

[Schmarn]

Ref is Paul Tierney. Attwell on VAR.

Anyone have an unbiased view of them?

[Jookie]

We'll put them on their arse, then they'll fall away like Spurs did.

Are you talking about Spurs this season?

If they win their game in hand v Fulham they are 1 point behind us and 4 points off the lead. They've hardly fallen away this season.

United are a functional team with some good attacking players. They have the ability to score goals at Premier League level. Their improvement has coincided with an improvement in their defence. They conceded 11 goals in their 1st 4 games and 13 in the subsequent 13 games. That's where their improvements have come, even though conceding a goal a games isn't necessarily the mark of an outstanding defence. Means they can play quite conservative to protect their defence in the knowledge they'll likely score in vast majority of games.

Against the bigger teams in the league I think they've been happy to take a 0-0 if required. They drawn 0-0 versus City and Chelsea. Lost 1-0 to Arsenal need the start of the season to a 69th minute pen. The only outlier is Spurs where they were humped 6-1. They were 2-1 behind and down to 10 men before 30 minutes in that game though.

In terms of United versus us on Sunday we should be ready for them to sit deep and that they'll play for a 0-0 if required. I do think they'll fancy their chances on the break against us if we have someone like Williams or Phillips at centre back though. The key for us is to get ahead and make them come out and play. If you do that you can get at their defence. If we go behind then it may be difficult for us. United will be a better version f what we've faced versus WBA, Newcastle and Southampton. Better defensively but also much more of a threat going forward.

[Phil M]

[Fruity]

Ref is Paul Tierney. Attwell on VAR.

Anyone have an unbiased view of them?

I do. They are all cheating c*nts.

[Hazell]

Credit to Rashford this week again. The guy deserves a lot of credit. Shame there's no fans to show appreciation on Sunday

Yeah, I didn't see him fall to ground once yesterday so fair play to him.