The 7-0 defeat was meant to be Manchester United’s lowest ebb, but United return to Anfield on Sunday in yet another crisis after crashing out of Europe on Tuesday with a whimper and losing to Bournemouth at Old Trafford last weekend.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are buoyant. Jurgen Klopp’s side head into the weekend top of the table, arguably ahead of schedule – given their extensive midfield reboot in the summer, but with growing hopes of a title challenge.
It’s easy to forget the Reds finished eight points behind United last season. What’s happened? The problems at Old Trafford are too numerous to list here, but we can focus on one thing: goals.
Sunday 17th December 4:00pm
Kick off 4:30pm
A tale of two cities
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the Premier League match between Manchester United and Bournemouth.
Here’s a simple stat to begin with: Liverpool have scored 36 Premier League goals this season, twice as many as Manchester United’s 18. Dig deeper and the underlying stats demonstrate that this isn’t a fluke.
Liverpool lead the division for shots and expected goals, and have scored 14 goals, many of them crucial, in the final 15 minutes of games. The Reds have scored as many goals beyond the 60th minute (18) as United have managed all season.
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Paul Merson looks back at Manchester United’s shortcomings in Group A of the Champions League and reflects on a disappointing final matchday against Bayern Munich.
United have scored fewer league goals than 14 teams this season. They have failed to score in five games – only Burnley, Everton and Sheffield United have drawn more blanks. Their expected goals tally ranks 11th in the division and no team has a worse shot-conversion rate.
United have scored at a rate of 1.13 goals per game this season – they have only scored at a lower rate in three previous top division seasons. They were relegated in two of those.
Liverpool have balance, United have Bruno
If Mohamed Salah was disappointed not to move to Saudi Arabia in the summer window, he’s not shown it on the pitch. Salah has 11 goals and seven assists in the league this season – no player has more goals and assists combined. This is already shaping up to be one of Salah’s best seasons in the Premier League.
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Sky Sports’ Football Show dissects the aftermath of Manchester United failure in the Champions League and how missing out on the Europa League could be a ‘damaging’ blow.
Arguably, this is already Salah’s best season for creativity. The Egyptian has laid on more assists per 90 minutes than in any of his previous six seasons at Anfield.
It’s not just about Salah. Liverpool have been strong down their right flank for years now, but Dominik Szoboszlai has given them a new dimension.
The Hungarian hasn’t just restored the energy to Liverpool’s midfield, he has also brought a creativity that previous Klopp midfields lacked. Szoboszlai has created 2.12 chances per 90 in the league this season: no other Liverpool player has created more from central midfield under Klopp.
Szoboszlai allows Liverpool to form triangles and create overloads down their right flank. The diagram below shows passing angles between Liverpool’s most used XI in the Premier League this season. Once Liverpool enter the opposition half, they focus their play down the right.
That trio of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Szoboszlai, and Salah have created the most chances for Liverpool this season. There’s no real surprise there, but it’s interesting to note how even the balance is between them.
By comparison, United have relied hugely upon Bruno Fernandes for their creativity. Fernandes has been responsible for 25 per cent of the chances United have created this season; only Andreas Pereira and Kieran Trippier have created a higher proportion of their teams’ shots.
Whereas Liverpool offer a triple threat concentrated in one area of the pitch – easy to spot and very difficult to stop – United struggle for ideas when Fernandes isn’t firing – and he’s suspended on Sunday.
The strange case of Rasmus Hojlund
Just like his new team, Rasmus Hojlund has endured a strange season. Five goals in six Champions League group games; no goals in 12 Premier League games. Hojlund is one of two players, with Sheffield United’s William Osula, to start five or more league games at centre-forward this season and not score once.
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The Telegraph’s Sam Wallace and The Independent’s Miguel Delaney discuss whether Graham Potter could replace Erik ten Hag as manager at Old Trafford.
Of course, it’s asking a lot of a 20-year-old adapting to a new country to carry a club like United on his back, and he could, justifiably, point to a lack of service from his team-mates.
Hojlund has averaged 26.8 touches per 90 this season – the only centre-forwards to average fewer are Osula (24.3) and Erling Haaland (22.3) – who has an entire team set up to get him the ball where it matters. Unsurprisingly, Hojlund ranks in the bottom half of Premier League centre-forwards for shots and expected goals.
Starved of service, Hojlund has dropped deeper than other centre-forwards in search of the ball. Compared to the three top-scoring centre-forwards this season – Haaland, Dominic Solanke, and Ollie Watkins – and has far more of his touches away from goal.
The contrast between Hojlund’s and Haaland’s heat map is especially striking.
No mercy on Merseyside
Manchester United have changed their manager three times since they last scored a goal at Anfield: five years ago this weekend when Jesse Lingard scored in a 3-1 defeat at Liverpool that spelled the end for Jose Mourinho. That’s the only time United have scored at Anfield in their last eight visits in all competitions. Liverpool have scored the last 15 goals between these teams at Anfield.
The stats keep coming and keep getting better for Liverpool fans and worse for United fans. Liverpool have reset, tweaked some things and seem to have the firepower to challenge City and Arsenal for the title. United need to see opportunity rather than crisis, or it’ll be another painful trip back across the M62.
Watch Liverpool vs Man Utd live on Sky Sports Premier League on Sunday from 4pm; kick-off 4.30pm