Part 1 of Manchester United vs Liverpool: A measure of location and trajectory.
(Pre-match preview: What we can learn from today’s game. Part 2 will be a post match)
English football’s biggest game is back tonight, under the lights of Old Trafford. With 39 titles between them, this is the most decorated and (usually) the most anticipated fixture on the calendar. There could be a few hundred words more here, about how huge this fixture is, but given the gulf in class in recent times, the narrative of two heavyweights trading blows is simply unsuitable. So let’s try another (scientific) way of looking at the game ahead.
Starting with some science likely to please fans of Breaking Bad. The Heisenberg uncertainty principle means we are only allowed to measure either Velocity or Location at one time. Tonight, in the case of Manchester United this game will prove a great barometer for the latter, Liverpool the former. (This will be explained below)
Win or lose, it will take much longer for United to figure out exactly where they are headed in the coming years. Instead they will use this game as a measure of just how bad things really are, another thumping defeat to their greatest rivals may tell them they are currently at rock bottom, an encouraging display/result may indicate that they are slightly above that. That Ten Hag, boosted by further signings could have a positive future. Regardless, after just three games it would essentially be uninformed conjecture.
There is much more data about Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who, on the other hand, will need reassurance that their flight path remains high in the sky with City. If they are to have any chance of equalling tonight’s opponents’ title tally. Past years have told us there is little room for error in the race for first position, should Liverpool fail to win against a lesser team again, it is hard to see their station in the table improving from last years’, especially if the performance is lacking at Old Trafford.
This fixture has become extremely one sided in recent times. United boast one win in the last nine, progressing to the next round of the FA cup, back in the days when Jurgen Klopp was accused of “disrespecting” the Cup.
Liverpool, without a suspended Darwin, need a response to consecutive draws, which luckily has not so far been entirely capitalised on by the favourite, who drew 3–3 to Newcastle in a thrilling Super Sunday encounter. Klopp will set out tactically the same way as always, he is comfortable in his selection of players and his style.
However, it will be interesting to see Ten Hag’s approach to the match. I expect some big tactical changes to a game of this magnitude, perhaps a back 5 to accommodate Lisandro Martinez’ height, or shifting him forward into the #6 to protect Maguire and Varane. Maybe De Gea won’t be tasked with relentlessly playing out from the back against one of the best pressing teams in the land and maybe United will sit in, and look to hit Rashford and Sancho in the space behind Liverpool’s defence, the blueprint to snatching a result against Klopp’s men. It is almost impossible for United to get a result if Ten Hag is intransigent on his philosophy tonight — yes we understand you want to enact a new style of play, but you have to still be in the job to do it.
