A win at local rivals Everton’s home ground will leave all Liverpool fans happy with bragging rights over work colleagues, friends and family alike going into an impromptu international break. While 3 points was the main objective of the last league match and a win in a Merseyside derby always a good confident boost, the current break gives us chance to reflect on the season so far.
There have been definite positives so far especially with our new signings. Jose Enrique has settled well, Charlie Adam has shown glimpses of what he is capable of and Stewart Downing has looked lively on the wings and has been getting himself and the ball into good areas. Jordan Henderson is still an unknown entity despite scoring a great goal himself. The stand out performer thus far without a shadow of doubt is Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan is a real livewire and creates openings from nothing. It is still clear to see that he hasn’t hit his top form by any stretch of the imagination but his game will grow immensely when he and his team mates gain more of an understanding for each other’s games.
With Steven Gerrard coming back from a long lay-off and seeing his brief performances we know it will take time for him to get back to his inspirational best. Lucas Leiva is playing well but the grafting position he makes his trade, it doesn’t really shine in an attacking sense at all despite the importance of such a player in any side. There are positives and negatives alike for the season so far but the main issue for me is we do not see from this Liverpool team the fluidity, ruthlessness and will to win every battle in every area of the pitch. Currently Man Utd, Man City and sometimes Chelsea all show these traits. They appear against the lesser teams of the league able to step it up a gear if the situation dictates and give their opponents few chances.
When they do get into areas in the final third they are clinical and hurt their opponents with each attack. As a life-long Liverpool fan I am man enough to admit at present we do not do these things some or all of the time. With investments into Premier League clubs increasing year by year, the coveted four places that reward with Champions League football is becoming ever increasingly difficult to obtain. The gauntlet has been set by the aforementioned teams of where the bar is in terms of what is required to achieve that this season. I think the current Liverpool squad is capable of attaining this but so far they have not shown this regularly and only in glimpses.
Despite disappointing losses to Stoke and Tottenham, the return of points thus far is acceptable at this stage of the season as a foundation but we really need to push on now. This weekend throws up a fixture which to all staunch Liverpool fans ranks as one of the most important in the Premier League fixture list.......Manchester United. Over recent years Liverpool have had an excellent record at home against their rivals so this will really be a stern test for Alex Ferguson’s new look side. They never seem to cope well with the intimidating atmosphere of Anfield and the days of regular wins here with scratchy goals from the likes of Forlan, Giggs and O’Shea are only long and distant memories for the defending champions.
The competiveness between Dalglish and Ferguson adds a real edge to the game with the two Scots going head to head. The last meeting between the two sides being a convincing 3-1 victory for the Liverpool faithful which then led to a chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ sang by 40,000 Scousers for their buoyant manager.
Dirk Kuyt was the man of the moment on that day becoming the first Liverpool player to score a hat-trick in this fixture since Peter Beardsley completed the feat. If selected on Saturday one thing you can guarantee from the Dutchman is 110% for the duration of the game. Some would see this game as an opportunity for new signings to win the hearts of the fans with inspirational performances that lead to an important 3 points over their greatest rivals. Any player who still feels the need to win the fans over can do nothing simpler than to put in a man of the match performance on Saturday.
This is the ideal opportunity for the team to use this game as a catalyst for the sort of run of victories which would see us in the frame for Champions League places as a minimum whilst still trying to stay in touch with teams competing for the title. A victory and more importantly to the fans, ending Man Utd’s unbeaten start to the season would send confidence in and around the club through the roof.
At Anfield irrelevant to form, Liverpool seem able to raise their game for such encounters and play a high tempo game coupled with the intensity of the support of the fans, really makes this a cauldron that any side in Europe struggle to cope with. We all know what qualities Man Utd possess, but in my own personal opinion, with the additions King Kenny has made in his time back at the helm offers more than enough attacking flair to give Man Utd a lot to concern themselves with. We all know that King Kenny needs no motivation for getting one over on his compatriot and specifically as Kenny feels the pain of all Liverpool fans in seeing the side from the wrong side of the M62 overtake Liverpool’s record of 18 domestic titles.
As for the team that runs out onto the pitch on Saturday we will only find that out nearer the kick off but with Kenny orchestrating things from the touchline and maybe a starting berth for Captain Fantastic after a long term injury, unbeaten or not, Man Utd know they will have a battle on their hands Saturday lunchtime. Who will steal headlines? Who will take the spoils? Only time will tell but with 40,000 Liverpool fans roaring the team on, the twelfth man could be the deciding factor and what delight we will all take in seeing that solitary number one in the lost column against Man Utd’s league stats!