Never really look forward to these games; anticipating a very tight affair on Sunday.
Sturridge is a class act; will need some special attention as he's looking sharp. Can see us defending quite deep and being quite compact and looking to break quickly. Moyes has his critics but one thing he's done so far is make us look very solid; Rio and Vidic are looking like the clocks have been wound back a few years and Evra's form has picked up; the Baines talk has been like a rocket up his arse. I do worry at right-back; Jones is a fish out of water there and offers very, very little going forward and might struggle against the movement and agility of Coutinho. Very promising centre-half but a poor full-back really; he's turning into David May before our very eyes and it needs to stop.
Always been a big fan of Carrick but do worry about him and Cleverley up against the energy of Gerrard, Lucas and Henderson. I think we'll be quite content to let you have the ball and sit with two banks of four and Rooney pressing Lucas; aim to win it and move the ball quickly with Carrick finding Welbeck, Rooney and RVP through the lines.
Danny will run all day and likewise Valencia on the other side so I'm fairly confident they'll track Johnson and Enrique and keep them fairly quiet; it's just whether we can get men forward quick enough to support RVP.
Not looking forward to it as it's been fucking years since we've put in a convincing Anfield performance; the O'Shea win was massively against the run of play and even last year against ten men we went behind and needed a pen and a wonder goal to come back.
I do sense we're coming into this game with a much more resolute feel, though, and it will be low scoring affair.
Team prediction: De Gea, Jones, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Cleverley, Welbeck, Rooney, Van Persie.
And Happy 100th to Sir Matt's good friend; Bill Shankly.
