So, too, do the betting markets, who predict that Liverpool will finish five points behind City at the end of the season. One curious thing about Liverpool is that although they are ahead of Manchester City at the top of the table, most still have Pep Guardiola's crew as overwhelming favorites. Liverpool's victory wasn't a surprise, but the manner in which they dominated Manchester United certainly was. That said, against a side that you know will press high and intensely, lining up a midfield without a passer to break the pressure (yes, the obvious name is Paul Pogba, but Juan Mata can hit a pass, too) seems counterintuitive at best.
On the other hand, there's Albert Einstein's definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.īecause United have, with a few exceptions, been consistently subpar since October, you can't entirely blame the manager for trying to shake things up week to week. Jose Mourinho's continuous chopping and changing of personnel and formations only makes United more awkward and insecure. Xherdan Shaqiri's two goals may have benefited from deflections, but make no mistake about it, this was a road-grading: 36 shots on goal, with every outfield player having a crack and a 20-minute spell at the beginning in which Manchester United were put through the heavy spin cycle.ĭid Manchester United contribute to their own downfall? Sure. That Jurgen Klopp managed to do it with Nathaniel Clyne, who had played just 90 minutes this season, and Naby Keita, drafted in as a late replacement for the injured James Milner, is significant, too. Great teams can win multiple games in a row against big opponents doing it while also turning in top-notch performances is rather rarer. It's not just a physical thing - it's mental as well.
To put on a display of this intensity just a few days after a massive Champions League clash isn't to be taken lightly. What stands out about Liverpool's win over Manchester United isn't that it happened - they were at home, and there's a reason the sides were separated by 16 points at kickoff - it's the way it occurred.
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