Liverpool is in stunning form having scored at three in eight consecutive away games – and next up are Solskjaer’s Man United who are “leaking” goals for fun
Momentum is perhaps the key component to any team. When it’s absent, times can seldom look bleaker. But when present, a cohesive group of players can feel unstoppable.
It’s now eight consecutive away matches where Jurgen Klopp’s side have scored three or more goals, dating back to mid-May. They also scored four at an empty Old Trafford in May, their first win at the Theatre of Dreams under Klopp, and in seven years.
Plenty to think about then for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s confidence-bereft Manchester United side, who come into this game off the back of two losses and one draw in their last three Premier League games, with four conceded at Leicester last Saturday.
They also looked all at sea in the first half against Atlanta, conceding two cheap goals, before a stirring comeback led by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Yet a rampant Reds is the last thing the United boss needs to roll into town right now.
Liverpool are unbeaten in all competitions and they’ve scored 22 Premier League goals, six ahead of nearest rivals Chelsea, City and United.
Klopp has got his side purring from the off this season, keen to win back the title from City and show their powers on the European stage once again.
The form of Salah, who is being described as the best on the planet in some quarters, will be of huge concern to United’s leaky defense.
Likely to be up against Luke Shaw on the flank, with an off-the-pace Harry Maguire further inside, the Egyptian King will be smelling blood come Sunday.
Elsewhere in attack, Sadio Mane has rediscovered the shooting boots that went missing during the second half of last season. The Senegalese is on six goals in all competitions and is on Salah’s wavelength in a manner reminiscent that title-winning campaign of two years ago.
As for the third occupant of that attacking trio, that has rotated between Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota since the season started, with the Brazilian the likely starter at Old Trafford as a result of his hat-trick last week.
Either one of them, though, is a threat off the bench. Jota won a penalty against Atletico on Tuesday, to prove that point.
Klopp is blessed with options at the moment, and the odd goal from the likes of Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita have helped the scoring cause too.
So, on paper, Liverpool’s attacking strengths match up to United’s defensive frailties quite perfectly from a Merseyside standpoint. Solskjaer’s defense have not kept a clean sheet since August, a run of nine games in all competitions.
Are there any positives for Solskjaer? Well, Klopp’s record at Old Trafford is somewhat poor – the 4-2 win in May was his first win in seven attempts and he has a tendency to set his team up a tad more conservatively than usual at the Theatre of Dreams.
Yet the Norwegian needs his side to show some grit and determination against their fiercest rivals. A defeat would see them fall seven points behind Liverpool already.
In this regard, Ole needs a performance – and a result.