Manchester United and Liverpool were sent crashing back to earth in MatchDay 4 of the new Premier League season, suffering gut-wrenching defeats to Swansea and West Ham, respectively. The English giants will look to get their campaigns back on track when they square off with each other in a mouth-watering showdown at Old Trafford this coming Saturday.
Who will grab the edge in this blockbuster matchup? Read on below for a preview of this all-important clash. If you’re looking for other sports action, though, you can check out our US Open women’s semifinal previews of Williams vs. Vinci and Pennetta vs. Halep.
Manchester United saw their three-game unbeaten run come to an end on August 30 with a heart-breaking 2-1 loss to Swansea. Andre Ayew and Bafetimbi Gomis cancelled out Juan Mata’s opening goal to give the Swans the shock victory.
[sc:Soccer240banner ]It was a stunning defeat for United, who entered the game two points above Swansea in the league table. The Swans, however, were the more determined side as they recorded their third straight win against the Red Devils. Having achieved the double against Manchester United for the first time last season, Garry Monk’s side became only the sixth team to claim three successive league wins against the Red Devils.
For United to return to the win column this coming Saturday against Liverpool, they need to get their act together on the offensive end. The Red Devils have scored just three goals in their opening four matches, eighth-worst in the entire Premier League. The onus is on Wayne Rooney to start banging in the goals for the Red Devils. Rooney, who led United in scoring last season, has yet to find the back of the net in the Premier League this campaign.
He will take comfort in the fact, however, that he’s slowly returning to his old form. Rooney nabbed a majestic hat-trick against Club Bruges on August 27 that ensured United’s qualification in the Champions League this season. He also scored a late penalty in England’s 2-0 win over Switzerland in a recent Euro 2016 qualifier that helped him break Sir Bobby Charlton’s all-time scoring record for England.
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Betting on Liverpool
Just like United, Liverpool’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season came to an abrupt halt on MatchDay 4. The Reds suffered an embarrassing 3-0 loss to West Ham, their first defeat to the Hammers at Anfield in 52 years. The Reds have grabbed just a point in their last two league assignments as they slid down to seventh place in the team standings.
It won’t get any easier for Liverpool, as standing in their way this coming Saturday are the 20-time English champions Manchester United. They have struggled mightily against the Red Devils in their recent encounters, tasting defeat in five of their last seven Premier League meetings. United grabbed a league double against Liverpool last season, outscoring their bitter rivals, 5-1.
For Liverpool to snap their losing skid against United, it’s paramount that they improve on their play on the offensive end. The Reds have failed to find the back of the net in their last two league matches. Even though Liverpool dominated possession in their last game against West Ham, the Reds only managed just one shot on target. That simply won’t do against a United side that have conceded just two goals this season, the best defensive record in the Premier League this campaign.
With their best player Philippe Coutinho suspended for the match against United because of a recent red card, the onus is on Christian Benteke to carry the scoring load for the Reds. The Belgian international, who signed a blockbuster deal with Liverpool this past summer, has scored just a single goal in his opening four matches for the Reds this season.
