vs Manchester United

Well, the crown jewel of English derbies is upon us, no longer than three weeks into the season.

Last year's corresponding fixture ended in a bitter 1 - 2 defeat with Jonjo Shelvey sent off and Robin Van Persie driving home a penalty. If I'm perfectly honest, I wouldn't be too devastated with a draw myself, even a nil - nil one if it lead to accusations of a borefest like Monday's ManU v Chelsea game did.

But it's a game we should always be looking to win. The stage is nicely set with United failing to reinforce their squad as of yet and perhaps not looking as strong as the reigning champions should.

Since Wayne Rooney looks to be staying put, it's likely that he'll start alongside Robin Van Persie in the United line-up. Daniel Wellbeck was invisible against Chelsea having scored twice against Swansea and silencing United's biggest guns should go far in ensuring ourselves a chance to send the sorry devils home with nothing to show for their visit. David Moyes surely would go to bed with a familiar feeling.

With three ill-timed injuries suffered in the League Cup match against Notts County it's everyone's guess how our XI + bench will look on Sunday. Will Martin Skrtel be ready to start and how would he perform after an absence - with also at least Napoli showing an interest in his services with the window still open?

Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge and Glen Johnson are the names who are expected to shake the 120 minutes played against Notts County off their shoulders. Liverpool's bench looks somewhat dismal going into this game, but perhaps the spirit of Shankley will grant our guys extra strength to make right last season's disappointment in the most classic of fixtures of English football.

Btw we just got drawn against United in the COC as well

People should just call it the League Cup, the sponsor changes every few years

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Migno Mango
Johnson Skrtel Agger Enrique
Gerrard Lucas Henderson
Aspas Sturridge Coutinho

That's not a bad XI, but I can only think of Sterling and Ibe as positive substitutes... And even that's stretching it.

There is no way BR will put this fixture as one to be drawn, even I can imagine igniting those souls to tear ManUtd apart.
I hope luck is with us to avoid any red card and win penalty if there will be, a legit one.

A point will be amazing, 3 points will be the best day of my year.

no Kolo, no party

If we play for the 3 points and have 11 men on the pitch we will win.

It's David Moyes. He'll play with 10 men behind the ball and hope for a RvP / Rooney miracle.

If we do what we did in the last 2 league matches United will punish us. Can't afford to sit deep and invite pressure. They're not Stoke or Villa, 1 chance (especially to RvP) and they'll score.

Don't want a Gerrard - Lucas midfield, it was dreadful in the first half at OT last season. Wouldn't mind Gerrard, Allen and Hendo. Get at them, don't let them settle. Henderson and Allen are probably our two best "pressers".

El Jefe we like you as a poster but please stop your Lucas driven agenda. Noone here agrees with you on that because there is absolutely no truth to it. That subject has been argued thousands of times on here and everyone is sick of it because it's one posters dislike of the player and nothing more. This isn't even a matter of opinions, it's a fact that Lucas is one of our most important players, you take him out and we lose. Please stop with that nonsense.

I have no agenda. I have an opinion that differs to yours. I couldn't care less who agrees with me. I don't dislike Lucas, I admire how he's fought for his place when he could have given up, fair play to him.

How is it a fact that he's one of our most important players? What's he done to prove that? Take him out and we lose? Put him in and we're still not great. Ever since he's been a regular we haven't finished above 6th, he's not the only reason, obviously, but people need to realise these players just aren't as good as you think they are. There are lots of lots of players who could play that position better than him. The position he plays is an important one, but he is easily improved upon.

I only brought it up because last time we played United we were better when he went off. No agenda.

Well I agree with El Jefe that Allen is a better presser than Lucas. But I still wouldn't swap them on the field for this game as Lucas has several other attributes where he bests Joe Allen, not least his experience of games of this magnitude.

Any update on team news! What is the fitness report! Please Rodgers, don't play Henderson on wings.

Personally I'm most interested in who'll play in central defence. Is Toure really going to be fit? With the strong rumours of Sakho and Ilori arriving and thus paving the way for Skrtel's exit, is that beautiful man, Martin, going to make an appearance? I kind of hate to say this before anything has happened, but Skrtel is one of my very favorite LCF players and it'll be sad if he's on the way out...

I think Skrtel is most likely to come in. Think he might consider bringing in Allen for Aspas to shore up the midfield, a part of me thinks it's a good idea but a part of me wants us to be attacking, aggressive and go for it.

Rooney apparently injured.. mind games?

Yes.. drop Lucas for Allen and have fun conceding freekicks from outside the penalty box.

ExtremistEnigma wrote:Yes.. drop Lucas for Allen and have fun conceding freekicks from outside the penalty box.

Lucas gives away his fair share of (unnecessary) free-kicks, but so that no one gets me wrong: Lucas should and of course will start ahead of Allen.

Sturridge could become only the second LFC player to score in the opening three Premier League games of a season tomorrow. The other was God.

Is he the one in the making

As Art said, I am just worried about how we will do defensively, there is no doubt that we will dominate the most part of the game, probably they will start pressing but eventually play on the counter.

Art Morte wrote:

ExtremistEnigma wrote:Yes.. drop Lucas for Allen and have fun conceding freekicks from outside the penalty box.

Lucas gives away his fair share of (unnecessary) free-kicks, but so that no one gets me wrong: Lucas should and of course will start ahead of Allen.

He is the DM and he has to break down plays and foul when needed to. He is mainly lacking confidence.. needs an injury free entire season.

ExtremistEnigma wrote:

Art Morte wrote:

ExtremistEnigma wrote:Yes.. drop Lucas for Allen and have fun conceding freekicks from outside the penalty box.

Lucas gives away his fair share of (unnecessary) free-kicks, but so that no one gets me wrong: Lucas should and of course will start ahead of Allen.

He is the DM and he has to break down plays and foul when needed to.


He is mainly lacking confidence.. needs an injury free entire season.

Foul when needed to, yes, but I was saying unnecessary free-kicks (fouls) and I maintain that that's what he does. Some of his challenges are unneeded and in dangerous positions, too.

The latter part of your post is no defence to giving away such fouls.

But still, Lucas >>> Allen

Less than 5 hours

btw guys how is today's referee Andre Marina Hawai or something