Premier League Preview: A daunting trip west for United as Anfield awaits

If I was a player or manager of Manchester United, there are quite a few places I would like to visit during the immediate aftermath of a humbling 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth.

A tropical beach would probably top the list. One so far away that it takes two different plane journey’s just to reach it – with the second of those planes being powered via two of those terrifyingly unsafe-looking propellers which genuinely look as though, if one were to fly directly into it, a small pigeon would completely disarm its power and subsequently plummet you into the ocean.

We won’t dwell on that point too much but my point is that an exotic faraway beach resort, with preferably little-to-no mobile phone signal or WiFi connection, would be the ideal recovery location to facilitate such a gut-wrenchingly poor performance and result against a Bournemouth side who before Saturday had never won at Old Trafford in their 124-year history.

While a tropical paradise would provide the perfect surroundings for some much-needed thinking time, there are fewer places I (as a Manchester United player or manager, remember) would fancy travelling to on the back of such a defeat, and that is Anfield to take on Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp’s side host their long-standing rivals on Sunday afternoon in the pick of the games for Gameweek 17, and the timing could not be worse if you find yourself in any way associated with Manchester United, or any better if you are of the Liverpool contingent.

The Reds moved to the top of the Premier League thanks to a turnaround in south London on Saturday, where they fought from a goal behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 at Selhurst Park. As a result, they top the pile heading into this weekend’s round of fixtures.

Liverpool currently find themselves a point ahead of second-placed Arsenal; two ahead of Aston Villa in third, and four in front of Manchester City who are fourth after 16 games and will be extremely happy with how they have performed throughout the season so far, with just one defeat to their name (four draws and 11 wins).

Along with Arsenal, Liverpool have the joint-best defensive record in the division having shipped just 15 goals and they have found few issues in finding the net at the top end of the pitch either, with 36 goals netted in 16 outings – only Manchester City’s tally of 38 is higher.

United, by contrast, have been bafflingly inconsistent and simply impossible to predict. On paper they have performed well, winning nine of their 16 games to date which sees them occupy sixth place, just three points behind Tottenham in fifth and six behind City in fourth – plenty of cause for optimism in a Champions League finish.

However the reality is much different for Erik ten Hag’s side, who have again looked devoid of any real direction this term and continue to operate in a sort of paradoxical state of dysfunction, where nobody really understands what’s happening the majority of the time. Saturday’s defeat at home to Bournemouth epitomised this, a matter of days after they beat Chelsea 2-1 on the very same stage.

While the prestige factor of beating Chelsea has firmly diminished in recent years and none more so than this season, last Wednesday’s win was still a firmly positive result against a team who, on their day, still possess a lot of ability. For the tide to change so rapidly in such a short space of time is perplexing yet predictable for this United side, who seem to perpetually exist in the chaos of the unknown.

After bowing out of the Champions League in midweek thanks to a 1-0 against Bayern Munich, Erik ten Hag’s domestic focus will now be sharpened even more than it was before, but Sunday’s trip to Anfield – a stadium where they were subjected to a seven-goal humiliation last season – could not be more daunting.

The bar for improvement is low, United just need to ensure they don’t slip further below it.

Premier League – Gameweek 17 – Fixtures in Full

FRIDAY 15TH DECEMBER