Erik ten Hag is adamant his squad can leave Anfield with a result they’re proud of on Sunday.
Manchester United were dealt one of the most humiliating results in their history last season when arch-rivals Liverpool annihilated them 7-0 on Merseyside.
Now, as the side prepare to tackle the fixture for the first time since the heavy defeat, questions are being raised as to whether the out-of-form Red Devils will be able to avoid another hammering this time around.
You’d expect the morale to be pretty low at Carrington this week due to United’s midweek Champions League exit, which came after they claimed a mere four points from six group-stage games. Finishing fourth also ruled out the prospect of dropping to the Europa League, so all European action is now out of the picture for the club prior to Christmas.
Currently, they sit sixth-placed in the Premier League table and 10 points behind leaders Liverpool. United have sustained more losses (seven) than any side in the top-nine, and are the only team in the top-eight to hold a negative goal difference (minus three).
Alas, a win on Sunday could change their situation drastically. Ten Hag, whose job is under increasing pressure with every poor result, knows that more than anyone.
Ten Hag’s pre-match message to his players
Asked whether the squad are ‘scared’ to face Liverpool, he responded (via Manchester Evening News): “I haven’t seen that last season we were scared there. It was a bad experience, but it’s not similar, and you start again. Last year we played very decent, and we got hammered just after half-time, and then we collapsed.
“That was a different team and different players for part at least. We can’t ignore it, but we will go there, and we will be confident. I want my players to be confident from the start to the end, we have to fight there, challenge there and go with the idea. We will go to win there.”
