There’s not many matches that get the juices flowing like Liverpool vs Manchester United at Anfield. I cannot explain why as I don’t really care that much about either team. In fact, it is more convenient for me when they are being a bit rubbish, like United this season.
But there is something about this fixture that is pretty special and it quite often starts in the press conferences.
Especially when the managers come out with corkers like “United are playing far from my image” or “trophies are not everything”.
So Jose thinks that United should be playing a little bit more like the images in his head, eh? The thing is, we all know that the image in his head is totally different to the image United fans have in theirs. In one head, there is a dour tight defence capable of physically dominating their opponents and stealing 2-0 wins. In the other set of combined heads, young attack-minded players are given a platform to go out an entertain once in a while. I’ll let you work out which is which.
As for King Kloppo, he “has no idea what Jose has planned” and believes “trophies are not everything” at Liverpool. I don’t believe his second statement for a second, Jurgey lad is playing the crowd a little there, trying to take some of the pressure off his boys after City blinked first. As for his claim that he doesn’t know what Jose will do at Anfield, it’s easy to understand what he means. Title-winning Jose goes to Anfield and takes a point, happily. Jose gone rogue, with a transfer window opening soon and no chance of winning the title with the motley crew he feels has been assembled for him could do anything. Literally anything.
If you told Mourinho sent a team out with five attackers, I would believe you. Equally, if you told me he crammed Fellaini, McTominay, Herrera, Fred and Perreira into the same midfield I’d accept that too.
The most interesting thing about the lead up to City’s game with Everton was Pep’s jumper. Talk about the Head of Finance trying to get into the Christmas spirit. Guardiola let us know that both Aguero and De Bruyne are back in training. He also said that City would not be making any signings in January as their focus is going to be on what the hell they are going to do if UEFA do start restricting loan deals out of the club. Links with Galatasaray immediately feel like more loophole exploitation.
Chelsea have a few things to worry about at the moment, namely a section of racist fans and a potential UEFA partial stadium closure as a result. On top that, Olivier Giroud seems to be angling for a move away from the club saying his final frontier is to ‘win the Premier League.’
The Poch is on the same page as Peppy G, believing it is better not to sign players in January. Or the summer, eh Maurizio? Funnily enough, the last player Tottenham did sign in January is doing pretty well for them now in the shape of Brazilian Lucas Moura.
Up in Newcastle, Peter Kenyon’s proposed takeover of the club seems to have stalled somewhat as he is about £100m off the asking price. And considering the asking price is £300m he has fired that shot wider than anything Joselu has managed this season. In totally unrelated news, the Christmas Party has been cancelled.
