Are Utd going to prove to be our Nemesis this season..

[BOBPAISLEYFAN]

A United side that have been devoid of belief who to an extent have been our public whipping boys in recent seasons, have they through their Park the Bus tactics at Anfield, and more recently punishing our sloppiness in defence and attack with a clinical element that has been missing for years now…

Are they now going to find a new found belief in themselves after showing such resolve and determination in these fixtures, especially when they play us again in two weeks, which if they bloody our nose again at Old Trafford would no doubt have cost us as dearly in the league, winning 5 points out of six points in the league, and knocking us out of the FA Cup ending what was our very achievable and now defunct Quadruple dreams.

Or was the game at Anfield earlier in the season and Sunday just more about our inability to be clinical and finish teams off when we are on top and clearly dominating… rather than about them… and we are going to see them just show themselves for what they are, the worst Utd side for a long long time..

I guess we will find out soon enough… 🤔🤞

[Steveo]

We have struggled against all of our rivals bar Chelsea.

In the 6 league games v City, Spurs (I know), United and the Arse we have taken 4 points. That’s before we talk about being knocked out on Sunday.

Keeping it league focussed IF we include Chelsea - it doesn’t look all that much better 8 games and 8 points.

For comparison - Arsenal have played us twice and United and City once each - 4 games and have taken 10 points.


We have overachieved on all fronts as a team in transition imo, but the better sides expose us. Regardless of whether we are full strength or in a crisis. This and the fact that we have so often needed last gasp goals against bottom dwellers points to a rock solid mentality across the entire squad - supremely coached and managed players - but a technical limitation up against better quality too.

[BOBPAISLEYFAN]

We have struggled against all of our rivals bar Chelsea.

In the 6 league games v City, Spurs (I know), United and the Arse we have taken 4 points. That’s before we talk about being knocked out on Sunday.

Keeping it league focussed IF we include Chelsea - it doesn’t look all that much better 8 games and 8 points.

For comparison - Arsenal have played us twice and United and City once each - 4 games and have taken 10 points.


We have overachieved on all fronts as a team in transition imo, but the better sides expose us. Regardless of whether we are full strength or in a crisis. This and the fact that we have so often needed last gasp goals against bottom dwellers points to a rock solid mentality across the entire squad - supremely coached and managed players - but a technical limitation up against better quality too.

I think our points tally this season against our nearest rivals has been adversely coloured by the clear VAR issues we have been on the receiving end of…

Chelsea away : handball in the Penalty area not given, despite his hand being in an unnatural position, anyone articulating their right arm up from the elbow will have their hand facing their face, not twisted and outward facing… ergo deliberate handball, 2 points lost.

Spurs away : Curtis Jones questionable red card, Jota’s two yellow cards first one laughable, second one questionable, Diaz disallowed goal…, 3 points lost.

Arsenal Home : Clear Odegard handball in penalty not given 2 points lost.

Man City home : Clear Penalty against Macca : 2 points lost.

Thats a total of 9 points denied by VAR, this matters.

With regards are defeat in the Cup to UTD, How was Fernandes not sent off for at least a second yellow card with his reckless challenge against Dom S ?, this again matters.

We started the season with a completely revamped midfield, so a team in transition which is difficult enough, this has been compounded with extensive injuries primarily in midfield and missing key players though International duty..this matters.

Not having our next best finisher Jota available for 3 of the four games against the Manchester clubs, I am sure Jota would have had a field day in these three games … this matters.

Yes we have struggled at times, but we all know that Diaz is not at Mane’s level, but injuries and circumstance haven’t helped him, Salah has been absent for almost 3 months and still looks lacking match fitness.. this matters. Nunez is no Firmino but as frustratng as he is in front of goal both in attack and in defence aarrgh he has contributed like Firmino in creating goals by his workrate if not finesse.

So all things considered, yes we are punching above our weight this season, but surely that has to be celebrated
and enjoyed rather than feeling disappointed.

Klopp leaving has been turned into positive, which could so easily have had the opposite effect, so all in all its a 9 out of 10 for me so far this season…. we are still in fir the treble despite all the above…utterly remarkable…

[Insidious]

Not giving it a second thought until the days in the run-up to the match.

We are the better side. It is up to us to play to our best on the day. They are not an elite team - Garnacho and Rashford give them superb attacking strength in transition, sure - but in overall terms we are better than they are and it is up to us to take control of our own destiny and beat them.

In terms of the tactical momentum swings that can come with a game, we need to score first. Their best chances are breaking from a deep block when we give the ball away or they nick it and lay it off. Conceding first plays into their hands.

Be our best selves, bring better decision-making and hopefully due to players coming back make better use of subs. That game could absolutely have been 3-1 to us had we been more precise and that was with us looking leggy and "off it" - that should be the well we draw from, not any fears about them.

[Steveo]

How can anyone say Odegaard handball means 2 points lost? Seriously? How many assumptions to draw a conclusion?

How do you know we score the pen? How do you know Arsenal don’t equalise or even go on to win if we did score the pen? Did you watch the game at Old Trafford?

Come on - there are way too many conclusions being drawn up here and taken as gospel - through the lens of a very red tinted pair of glasses.

Every team can point to incidents. Chelsea probably should have had a couple of penalties in the 4:1 at Anfield - and could have ended up ahead. At what point do we step back and see things with a little balance?

[Creator Supremes]

On the Thursday evening before we go to Utd on the Sunday we have Sheffield Utd at home and they are away at Chelsea. Which should even up things a bit in terms of fatigue. With them having had a full week to prepare for last weekend and us playing Sparta.

[ianlfc]

We haven't won a FA cup match at Old Trafford in over 100 years. So it really wasn't much of a surprise after hearing that.

[Steveo]

Indeed Ian - I was amazed at how many expected it to be a stroll in the park.

[BOBPAISLEYFAN]

Indeed Ian - I was amazed at how many expected it to be a stroll in the park.

Oh my days, so you have never made assumptions..to make a point, and just for the record of course you are right, no one knows how things would have exactly panned out even if we had received the penalties and scored them, but equally you cannot dismiss them as irrelevant… for example, if Fernandes had got sent off how would that have affected the Utd crowd, their players and our players…. ?

However, I will be more careful with my wording next time, clearly I need to spell out my arguments with more clarity and make my points crystal clear explaining every possible nuance, rather than assume people get my general drift… hopefully everybody else will do likewise.

[teesred]

Indeed Ian - I was amazed at how many expected it to be a stroll in the park.

To be fair from 40-80 mins it was literally that. We just didn't make it count and got punished for it..