Liverpool’s line-up v Man United: the two options Rodgers must choose between
Liverpool are already exceeding expectations this season, and beating Man United at Old Trafford could be the cherry on the cake for the Reds. The decisions Brendan Rodgers makes before the game are likely to have a big impact on the outcome, and a win would ensure United’s latest revival proves to be a false dawn, while also keeping the Reds in the Premier League title race. There are two likely set-ups Rodgers could opt for, but which one will it be? talkSPORT takes a look…
The conservative approach
Rodgers isn’t likely to toy with his back four, and Jon Flanagan, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson are all in line to continue as part of the Reds’ defence, but one area of the pitch where there are tough decisions to make is the midfield.
In a potentially tricky away fixture against Southampton earlier this month, Brendan Rodgers opted for a slightly more conservative set-up than usual, with Steven Gerrard playing behind Jordan Henderson and Joe Allen, while Philippe Coutinho operated as a number ten. The Welshman in particular proved useful in dropping back to form a two man midfield pairing while Liverpool were chasing possession, and the result of Rodgers’ switch was a clean sheet for the first time since January 28. The question is, does Rodgers think enough of the current Man United side to allow his own tactics to be shaped by their attacking potency?
Going for the jugular
If the answer to the above question is no, Rodgers will likely drop Allen from his midfield, and instead ask Coutinho to operate as the third central midfielder in a 4-3-3. The advantage of that decision is it allows Raheem Sterling to start on the left of a three man forward line for the Reds. The Englishman has scored one goal and assisted one more in his last two Premier League outings, so reuniting him with Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge in the Liverpool starting line-up could cause big problems for Man United.
The obvious disadvantage of this move however is that it is likely to leave Liverpool’s defence with a tougher job, with only one midfielder protecting them off the ball. With the same set-up, Swansea put three goals past Simon Mignolet before Brendan Rodgers hauled Sterling off for Joe Allen in the fixture contested between the pair in late February, so the Liverpool boss may fear similar problems at Old Trafford.
Listen to talkSPORT's live coverage of Liverpool's visit to Old Trafford from 13.30 (UK time) on Sunday, March 16, here...