Manchester United Vs Liverpool: The Return of the ‘Biter’

Any Manchester United Vs Liverpool game is exciting given the histories between the two most successful clubs in English football, and this one is no exception despite being a Capital One Cup fixture (formerly League Cup). Both managers will be targeting the Capital One Cup as a source of silverware as well as opportunities to give squad players and youngsters a chance to play first team football. However this fixture will have an added spice – the return of the ‘biter’ a.k.a. Luiz Suarez.
Brendan Rodgers has been waiting for it (return of Luiz Suarez) for about 2 weeks – after Liverpool ‘stutter’ in their home game against Southampton and the lucky draw pick up against Swansea, no thanks to their former player Jojo Shelvey. Despite the good start to their season Liverpool knows that it is only temporary – they are just lucky with several 1-0 wins and the opening fixtures have been rather ‘easier’ until the Manchester United game where United team did not show up.

 

Given the previous Premier League fixtures for both teams (both losses), fans from both sides can expect both managers to put out strong team. For Manchester United, the derby loss is a hard pill to swallow – not only it is a loss, it is in fact a trashing by City. Liverpool meanwhile was shown the reality of life at the top of the table by losing a home to a lowly Southampton.

 

For United, a strong team with Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie (if he is fit) is not a surprise but David Moyes may be tempted to rest the older players who had been playing week in and week out, players such as Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra. However given the loss to City and the importance of this fixture for fans (as well as silverware source), Michael Carrick could even make the starting XI. Moyes could be in dilemma as players like the da Silva twins, Alexander Buttner, Phil Jones, Shinji Kagawa, Nani, Anderson, Tom Cleverly and Javier Hernandez are all in desperate need of game time. On top of that, youngsters like Adnan Januzaj and Wilfred Zaha are also due for first team appearance and given that United’s league performance it is hard to see them featuring prominently for United at the league level. Moyes also needs to be careful in handling Januzaj’s situation to avoid a repeat of Paul Pogba’s case. One player – Ashley Young – could make the situation puzzling. Moyes continuing preference for Young’s inclusion is puzzling as most United’s fans are anonymously in agreement that he (Young) is another ‘Joe Cole’ (highly talented but over-rated). In matches where Young had been preferred over Kagawa or Nani at the left flank, Young had not shown enough threats or produced good enough performance to be wearing United’s shirt week in week out.

 

For Liverpool, Brendan Rodgers’ fascination over Luiz Suarez seems to have no bound. For a player with so much liability to the club and a player wanting to leave, Liverpool dependency on Suarez is borderline on insanity. After all Liverpool being on the top of the table after 4 games (never mind their oppositions) was achieved without Suarez in the team. If Suarez produces a bad game Rodgers will come out and say Suarez lacks match fitness, if Suarez turns out to be match winner then Suarez will be honour like he is Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Either way, comes January Suarez may be seeking another transfer or be embroil in yet another controversy.

 

David Moyes has his hands full after unconvincing performance in a season only 6 games old but he has to realize his is taking over at Manchester United and not a midtable team and he is also replacing the ‘irreplaceable’ Alex Ferguson. Critics are already out to get him and every moves Moyes makes will continue to attract criticisms. The only way to counter this would be just one thing – wins. United fans want wins no matter whether it is winning ugly or winning