Center-back Joe Gomez has shared his thoughts on what he and his teammates at Liverpool fear the most ahead of their visit to Old Trafford this weekend for the English Derby match.
Liverpool will march to Old Trafford with the necessity of winning. The three-horse race between Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City is incredibly tense, as a stumble from any team could potentially bid farewell to the title. As the internal clashes among these three powerhouses have concluded, success or failure will now be determined in the remaining matches against supposedly weaker opponents at this stage.
In terms of form and standings in the Premier League, Manchester United is considered to be in a weaker position compared to Liverpool. However, just three weeks ago, The Red Devils defeated The Kop in the FA Cup quarter-finals after a match that required extra time to decide the outcome. Therefore, Liverpool cannot afford to be complacent ahead of the Super Sunday match in Matchweek 32.
Liverpool just lost to Man United in the FA Cup quarterfinals after a breathtaking score chase
One of the negative scenarios Liverpool often finds themselves in recent matches against Manchester United is conceding early goals at Old Trafford. In 3 out of the last 4 visits to the opponent’s sanctuary, Liverpool have conceded before the 20th minute. The familiar sight is Liverpool not starting as strong as they do at Anfield and being pushed back by their arch-rivals.
“They will enjoy the fantastic atmosphere from the fans at Old Trafford. I reckon Manchester United might launch relentless attacks right from the beginning. Liverpool will have to adapt to the tremendous pressure from the stands. How they do that is the club’s secret.
We cannot deny that the result in the FA Cup quarter-finals left us quite disappointed. Liverpool in that match didn’t distribute the ball well enough, so the intensity and rhythm of play weren’t as fluid. However, if we overcome the opponent at Old Trafford, it will be a huge motivation for the remainder of the season. There will be many challenges, but we are ready,” Joe Gomez shared ahead of the match.
Liverpool are currently stretched across the Europa League and the Premier League (having been eliminated from the FA Cup while already clinching the League Cup). They are considered top contenders for the title in both competitions. Therefore, despite the severity of Sunday’s match against Manchester United, Jurgen Klopp still needs to make some considerations for the European cup. At the very least, they cannot afford to run out of steam amidst the current tension.
“I still think the Premier League is a very significant goal to aim for. This is also our way of showing gratitude to the coach because at the end of this season, he will be leaving his position. The whole team has said to each other, let’s do it for Klopp!” – Gomez shared.