Ever since Manchester United overperformed last season, everyone has seemingly tipped the Red Devils to return to the top of the Premier League table. The new arrivals at Old Trafford only add to the anticipation, especially Jadon Sancho, an incredible talent with bags of potential.
Liverpool supporters may be tempted to feel nervous about the upcoming campaign. After all, the club’s fiercest rival has a lot of buzz surrounding it right now. However, the reality is that this is a positive thing for the Reds because they get to slip under the radar.
Old Trafford Expects
We’ve seen what the pressure of expectations can do already this summer after the Three Lions were beaten by Italy at home. In some ways, Gareth Southgate’s men let the occasion stop them from playing in the second half, allowing the Italians to equalise and steal the win on penalties. Man United will have to deal with the same thing this year.
Unlike before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the manager, the fans believe they have the squad and style of play to challenge for the Premier League title. The club did finish second in 2021, causing pundits and supporters to jump on the bandwagon. Though, it’s worth pointing out that expectation amongst fans doesn’t come into consideration when bookmakers calculate their odds. Man United have fallen to the fourth-favourites in the Premier League betting at 8-1, behind Chelsea and Liverpool at 5/1, and their noisy neighbors at 4/6, who are favourites to win the league for a second consecutive year.
A Manchester United Premier League title challenge already looks as though it hinges on a thankless Champions League schedule and the timing of Liverpool away #mufc https://t.co/lvYL1UOD94
— Man United News (@ManUtdMEN) June 16, 2021
This shows that Solskjaer may not have the tools to mount a credible title challenge, which will manifest itself as discontent from the terraces. Thankfully for Liverpool, this will only make the players’ lives much smoother as all eyes will be on Old Trafford.
Klopp Can Focus on His Game
Several people have come out of the woodwork to proclaim that Liverpool Football Club have missed a trick by not signing the players Solskjaer has recruited. Allowing United to rebuild, goes the argument, means the side will be stronger in 2021/22. That could cause trouble for Liverpool’s title aspirations.
There’s a flip side of the debate, though – Jurgen Klopp shouldn’t worry about what’s happening across the M62. By concentrating on what his rivals are doing, he may take his eye off the ball and make a mistake. A prime example is investing in a winger or central defender that won’t improve the quality of the first 11.
Klopp’s men may only have sneaked into the top four last term, but it’s easy to make excuses. For instance, the number of injuries was ridiculous, including Virgil van Dijk, the glue that holds the defence together. The front three are still incredibly threatening, and another frontman would only imbalance the team. Liverpool’s sporting director has done well to bring Ibrahima Konaté to Anfield and bolster the back four, but other than that, there’s not much that the German manager needs. His side has shown it’s strong enough to win the Premier League by a comfortable margin.
Yes, Man United are a football club that may well be stronger this campaign. However, last season was a strange one as only a handful of teams were at full strength. If Liverpool’s players return to the form of previous years, they should have enough to finish above their biggest rivals. Liverpool going under the radar is only a healthy thing for Reds fans.