****** Football, above most other things, has a wonderful way of coming back and biting the unwary columnist on the backside!
So when I say that Manchester United really are a long, long way behind Liverpool at the minute – and really shouldn’t get close to a result at Anfield – then I know what is likely to happen next.
It makes no difference, though. Even if they win on Sunday, it does not detract from the fact that United are such a distance off, they need to take a long, hard look at what’s going on at that club.
If they do get a result, then it emphasises the need to take a long, hard look at the players Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has in his squad – and seriously question them.
I know they beat Manchester City away, but that troubles me. It is like those FA Cup games where minnows go to a huge club and lift their game as it’s their occasion of a lifetime.
United’s players celebrate at the Etihad(Image: REUTERS)************************
But we aren’t talking minnows with United. These are supposed to be the elite of the game – and I think there is a mentality problem.
Liverpool and City are miles ahead because they have better players, better squads.
United have had so much money thrown at their squad – and yet there is so little to show for it.
I would ask specifically, where are the leaders? Where are the players who demand consistency and commitment in every game.
Probably United’s best two performances of the season were at City and at home to Liverpool. But why aren’t they producing that level of form every week?
Mohamed Salah celebrates with Sadio Mane(Image: Action Images via Reuters)************
Marcus Rashford celebrates against Liverpool(Image: Manchester United via Getty Imag)************************
OK, they have a few young players. No excuse. So do Liverpool. So do City. So do Chelsea. Not good enough.
I have always been suspicious of teams who lifted themselves when they fancied it.
I know it was an accusation level at some Liverpool sides I played in. In a sense, there was some truth in that. We had a damn good side that could often beat United, but we couldn’t match their consistency.
However, I believe there was a different problem in character – and that reflect the situation between Liverpool and United today, but in reverse.
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(******************(Robbie Fowler takes on Gary Neville of Manchester United(Image: Getty Images)When United were winning things, it put pressure on us, as their big rivals, to compete and try to match them. So there was a bit of desperation from the club and the fans.
Liverpool threw quite a bit of money at it. But did we do the homework that Sir Alex Ferguson did, spend time planning in the long-term, not just trying to get a short-term fix?
Now that situation is reversed and with City complicating it, too.
Liverpool and City have pursued five-year plans with their managers, building teams and squads over long periods, buying good, young players with potential and developing them. They are largely making superstars, not buying them.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp(Image: PA)And yeah, Virgil van Dijk cost a bomb. But he had played for Celtic and Southampton, not Real Madrid. He is a far better player now than when he arrived.
Raheem Sterling is an example of Guardiola’s ability to develop players – decent when he arrived, but now close to superstar level.
United saw that – and were desperate.
So they spent silly money trying to keep up, on ready-made stars form the biggest clubs, Schweinsteiger, Di Maria, Ibrahimovic, Falcao, Mkhitaryan, Sanchez. Stupid money for the wrong players.
Alexis Sanchez failed to impress at Old Trafford(Image: Getty Images)I don’t believe they did their homework on any of them.
And if you don’t, you end up with a squad with the wrong characters and the wrong mentality.
That is why I started this column by saying United are a million miles away from Liverpool at the minute … and I Don’t care if they come back to bite me on the bum, it still will be the truth.
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