Topic: MATCH PREVIEW: Manchester United v Liverpool, Sunday the 7th of April

[Wabaloolah]

Why did we play Konate midweek to rest him today?

I'm guessing you didn't watch the game on Thursday

[killer-heels]

Come on Liverpool.

Have to win, plenty on the bench as well.

[duvva 💅]

Strong team. Strong bench

Cut out the complacency and we should win this

[HardworkDedication]

XI | Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Kambwala, Dalot, Casemiro, Mainoo, Fernandes, Garnacho, Hojlund, Rashford.

Subs | Bayindir, Amass, Ogunneye, Amrabat, Eriksen, Mount, Amad, Antony, Forson.

[Caps4444]

I'm guessing you didn't watch the game on Thursday

So he was expected to play to games in 3 days?

[Vote For Pedro]

On paper we should be shredding that backline all day

[kop306]

quansah has been better than konate recently

our main man endo is back

[Draex]

Endo back, let’s be having it ya mad gumshield wearing bastard.

Their back line is really poor, no excuses.

[Party Phil]

Same team as the FA Cup QF except Bradley in for Gomez

[Wabaloolah]

So he was expected to play to games in 3 days?

I have no idea, you'll have to ask the boss

[elkun]

To be honest. A bit worried about Quansah and Bradley on the right side. Sometimes he takes too much time on the ball. Hopefully he’ll prove us wrong 💪🏽💪🏽

[MonsLibpool]

Konate and Gomez are fit. We're playing Quansah because we believe he's good enough.

By next season, he'll be a senior pro at this rate

[tommy LFC]

So who partners Maguire in central defence? Is the young lad? Or will they push someone back there?

Apologies, haven't bothered watching these all season except our games.

[Wabaloolah]

XI | Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Kambwala, Dalot, Casemiro, Mainoo, Fernandes, Garnacho, Hojlund, Rashford.

Subs | Bayindir, Amass, Ogunneye, Amrabat, Eriksen, Mount, Amad, Antony, Forson.

good news that Casemiro is starting there were rumours that he was injured

[Shankly998]

That's a bang average United side we should be beating these all day long. Just need to get over the mental block that its United at Old Trafford and play what's in front of us not the occasion.

[Nick110581]

So who partners Maguire in central defence? Is the young lad? Or will they push someone back there?

Apologies, haven't bothered watching these all season except our games.

Kambwala

[Wabaloolah]

So who partners Maguire in central defence? Is the young lad? Or will they push someone back there?

Apologies, haven't bothered watching these all season except our games.

Kambwala I think

[jillcwhomever]

To be honest. A bit worried about Quansah and Bradley on the right side. Sometimes he takes too much time on the ball. Hopefully he’ll prove us wrong 💪🏽💪🏽

I would agree, the right side will be a concern. They still have pace and will target that side.

[Nick110581]

Bradley is a really good defender.

In the Cup match, Gomez started and was inverting.

[Tonyh8su]

No, not back in training until next week. Ali still has no return date.

Thanks Jill. Just what the hell happened to Ali? It was a rumour out of nowhere as far as I remember that he was gonna be injured and he's been out for months on end with the return even being talked about.

[Number 7]

Maguire and Kambwala in central defence.

If we don’t win this with that CB partnership the only ones to blame will be us.

[duvva 💅]

So he was expected to play to games in 3 days?

Does it matter? Lets focus on who’s playing and get behind them

I don’t recognise a few of the names on their bench, kids?

[Dougle]

I would agree, the right side will be a concern. They still have pace and will target that side.

On the other hand Bradley could be an ace going the other way for us as well.

[BOBSCOUSE]

Where is Garnacho ?

Already taken his seat in Bradley's back pocket.

[Phineus]

Maguire and Kambwala in central defence.

If we don’t win this with that CB partnership the only ones to blame will be us.

Yeah, lots not be our own worst enemy in this fixture … again.

[JRed]

Endo back, let’s be having it ya mad gumshield wearing bastard.

Their back line is really poor, no excuses.

They do have Clarence Kante Makelele Gerrard Seedorf in midfield tho . He is playing a lot of games for a 18 year old.

[disgraced cake]

The cup game was a pretty embarrassing defeat but today we'll never forgive ourselves for not beating a team with their back 5 looking the way it is. They've been hit by even more injuries than we have. I still can't help but feel Mac/Jones/Szoboszlai could be a more effective midfield three.

Need to work out whether to play Konate on Thursday or Sunday next few weeks assuming he's fit. He can't play both.

I'd try and play him for both home games this week and rest him for the away leg in Italy.

[Dree]

No Konate is sub-optimal when the most dangerous thing they have is a quick front three, and Rashford is good against us despite the rest of his season form.

Obviously we have to be clinical but our right hand side is where we need to be careful. Salah staying deeper might help rather than both him and Bradley bombing on.

[SamLad]

good news that Casemiro is starting there were rumours that he was injured

I think I can run faster than Casemiro.

[kop306]

our bench is a lot stronger now

[SamLad]

Kambwala

knock him down, we'll see what happens.

[jillcwhomever]

Thanks Jill. Just what the hell happened to Ali? It was a rumour out of nowhere as far as I remember that he was gonna be injured and he's been out for months on end with the return even being talked about.

I am guessing Ali's injury was a bad one and they are just taking no chances. It would certainly be a huge lift to have him and Jota back in the team in the next few weeks.

[Cruiser]

Great to see Jones on the bench.

Elliott's energy is always crucial to come on later and run them ragged.

[latortuga]

Maguire and Kambwala in central defence.

If we don’t win this with that CB partnership the only ones to blame will be us.

Must have a few mistakes in them passing it out from the back as a new partnership.  Need to be hunting them all game.

[Garlic Red]

I love Quansah but honest to god why are we going into another big game with Ibou not in the lineup.

[CS111]

Hate playing these lot at theirs.  They will be massively up for it which i hope/expect we are too.
Cannot be going a goal down again surely.
Some pundits throwing out ridiculous predictions, just saw 6-1 to us.  Wish i was as confident 

[Red-4-Ever]

Any bets on how quickly Taylor will book either Mac Allister or Endo while letting that whingebag rat faced prick Fernandes away with loads?

[RJH]

Knowing Konate struggles with 2 games a week it was a strange decision to start him against Sheffield Utd. Can’t legislate for that knobs attempt and snapping him in half but still, would have thought he’d be prioritised for todays game. Utd will try their usual runs in behind our right side and he’s crucial to stopping them.

Prior to the Sheffield game he'd last played for us on the 2nd March, 5 weeks ago.
I can see the logic in wanting him to get some minutes in what would theoretically be a less intense game prior to the United match.

And I feel it is always more difficult giving a central defender minutes off the bench than other positions.

[Buster Gonad]

Maguire and Kambwala in central defence.

If we don’t win this with that CB partnership the only ones to blame will be us.

Aside from this pairing though it's about as strong as they can be. We can't be relying on those two making mistakes.  We need to play well. I think this will be close despite them being shite. They've got no chance in the FA cup. This is their cup final.
Any win will do..

[Drinks Sangria]

Started to feel sick, the nerves have kicked in badly already. We have plenty enough to win, we just need to be calm and savvy when they fly out of the blocks first 10. Target the centre half pairing and try to pull Mainoo out of position.

Utd set up strangely with essentially a flat back four, a single defensive mid whose movement is not tied to the positioning of the other two midfielders, with Fernandes a fourth attacker. Their tactics are generally to allow possession in their final third to force turnovers and counter attacks, with the hope that Antony or Rashford can do something exceptional. It’s not a sustainable way to play but it does sometimes catch teams cold. We can’t afford for that to be the case. They concede an insane amount of shots on their goal, we will get chances, we just need to be clinical when they come.

Darwin needs to sit on the young lad and target getting the ball in behind Maguire. Wan Bissaka for all his failings is a gifted one-on-one defender so Mo will need to be patient and look to play line breaking passes rather than always trying to beat the full back. Playing both Bradley and Robertson from the start is interesting and says to me Konate probably only has 30 in the legs because it’s a lot of trust on Quansah - which he’s earned - to hold the whole right hand side. Endo will absolutely have work to do when they target quick, direct passes into the channel when there’s a turnover with Bradley or Robbo high up the pitch.

If we get an early goal, great. If we go two up, they collapse. Calmness is the ideal here. Come on the reds.