Manchester United vs. Liverpool: Reversal of fortunes for the bitter Premier League rivals
Earlier this week, Manchester United were drawing 1-1 with Southampton when Louis van Gaal replaced 19-year-old centre-back Paddy McNair. It was the 38th minute of the game. For the youngster, it was a chastening experience. He was struggling so badly that his manager couldn’t even wait until halftime to make the change. And McNair couldn’t just slip quietly into the shadows during the interval. Instead, he was forced to trudge to the sideline, humiliated and with head bowed. But waiting for him wasn’t a collection of glares from the coaching staff but Ryan Giggs who offered an embrace. As he went to take his seat, Van Gaal stretched out his hand for McNair to high-five his manager.
United won 2-1, somehow. Afterwards, Van Gaal spoke philosophically about the incident.
“Of course it’s tough. But all the boys can survive. It’s only one match, one moment in a lifetime.”
[Analysis - All change as United and Liverpool resume battle]
And maybe such a relatively tiny and seemingly insignificant decision explains why there appears a renewed sense of optimism at Manchester United this season. There is a clarity. And with that clarity comes a unity that was so desperately lacking under Van Gaal’s predecessor, David Moyse. And when you attempt to figure out just how the club is sitting in third place having played so poorly so often, it’s those intangible elements that you keep returning to.
Against Arsenal in late November, Van Gaal’s much-maligned defence featured Chris Smalling, McNair and 20-year-old Tyler Blackett as three centre-backs with conventional wingers Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young as wing-backs. But, through the confusion and blind panic, there was the usually-skittish Smalling guiding his younger and inexperienced partners through the game. He revelled in the responsibility. And all around him, his teammates did likewise.
Currently, Manchester United are in better form than the league leaders, 15 points from the last 18 available and just four goals conceded in their last six fixtures. From their first six games of the campaign, they picked up eight points and conceded nine. Van Gaal, who preached patience upon his arrival, has been true to his word. The performances may still be chaotic at times but United are playing badly but getting results. Added to the mix has been the relentless run of injuries, an equally-relentless chopping and changing of formation and the fact that this is Van Gaal’s debut Premier League season. All things considered, United are in pretty good shape.
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It’s ironic to think that before the season got underway, Brendan Rodgers offered a warning to Van Gaal about the competitiveness of the English top flight and how the lowly Davids consistently spring surprises against a multitude of Goliaths. Almost inevitably, his Liverpool side have been humbled by Aston Villa, West Ham and Crystal Palace while earlier in the week, they were eliminated from the Champions League after failing to beat Swiss side Basel at Anfield.
They head into Sunday’s derby with United under the cloud of that dismal midweek disaster. And unlike their opponents, they’re playing badly and suffering the consequences. An attempt to find even a glint of inspiration appears a futile exercise. Distractions have appeared from everywhere. There has been the devastating blow of losing Daniel Sturridge to injury and the inability of the club’s new arrivals to deputise sufficiently. When Rodgers’ decided against playing 34-year-old captain Steven Gerrard for the second time in four games, it became a story. When the 34-year-old captain returned to the starting lineup and scored, it became a story.
In many ways, Liverpool’s current season is quite like United’s last one. A manager in unfamiliar territory, a litany of poor results and uninspiring performances and a group of players that suddenly seem dull and largely lifeless. The spirit and unity is no more. The verve and energy of last season has been replaced by a depressing tedium. There’s no momentum as evidenced by their last league clash against Sunderland.
With two successive wins under their belt, Liverpool hosted a struggling side at Anfield. It was a perfect opportunity to deliver a firm statement of intent in front of an anxious home crowd. Liverpool managed two shots on target and the game finished scoreless.
Perhaps the biggest worry for Liverpool currently is that no matter how much Rodgers changes things, the dullness remains. After such a heavy summer of spending, it’s difficult to see any additions to the squad in January though he will hope Sturridge’s eventual return from injury will spark something. Then again, if it doesn’t, he has a real problem.
Under Moyes last season, United endured a torrid time against the league’s best teams. Those passive, disinterested performances seemed to define the Scot’s short spell in charge. Already this term, Rodgers has seen his Liverpool side suffer defeat against Manchester City and Chelsea. After the game against United on Sunday, they welcome Arsenal to Merseyside on Dec. 21.
Rodgers won’t be judged until the end of the campaign but unless he can oversee an upturn in Liverpool’s fortunes, starting with the always-relevant derby this weekend, he’ll face a fight to keep his job.
And as Louis van Gaal strolls into Sunday’s game full of intrigue and expectation, Rodgers will be anxious for his team and his future.
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Eoin O'Callaghan is a soccer journalist and broadcaster. Best known in North America for his TV work with Fox Soccer, he has also reported extensively for BBC, RTE and Setanta Sports. He writes about soccer for The Irish Examiner newspaper, beIN Sports, One World Sports and TheScore.ie. Follow him @EoinOCallaghan
