Liverpool vs Manchester United: 3 Key Battles
Over the last three decades, games between Liverpool and Manchester United were always hotly-contested as one of the two teams would always be in the title race, when the games took place. But Sunday’s clash at Anfield won’t be a clash that decides the title race, instead, it is one that has a huge bearing on who finishes fourth and claims the final Champions League spot.
Having won their last five games, the Reds come into this crucial clash hoping to make it six in a row and leapfrog the Red Devils into fourth on the table. The visitors come to Anfield having not let in a league goal for almost five hours and knowing that a win will keep them hot on the heels of Manchester City and Arsenal. Here are the three key battles where this game will be won and lost.
1. David De Gea vs Simon Mignolet
For all the criticism that came his way early in the season, only Fraser Forster has managed to keep more clean sheets than Simon Mignolet this season. Ever since his return to the starting lineup, the Belgian shot-stopper has been in very good form and is one of the main reasons why the Reds have been able to curb the habit of conceding too many goals, which plagued them early on.
The Belgian’s opposite number is arguably the league’s best keeper of the season. Although David De Gea only has 10 clean sheets to his credit, on several occasions, the Spaniard has kept his side in the game or bailed them out of trouble when they were ahead. With an ever-changing back four in front of him, the 24-year-old has done really well to adapt and outshine Thibaut Courtois, who has had a much more settled and confident back four in front of him. With both sides not short on attacking talent, both keepers have to be aware of the threat both from inside and outside the box.