Reds boss the game, but De Gea is the real hero
Liverpool’s latest showdown with bitter rivals Manchester United ended in a 0-0 draw at Anfield yesterday.
Here we look at the key talking points from a Premier League encounter high on perspiration but low on inspiration. Asked on Friday if he was worried about his job security after a difficult start to the season, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp struck a defiant tone.
“Unfortunately, if they sacked me now, there would not be a lot of managers who would do the job better than I do,” said Klopp, who is yet to win a trophy in his twoyear reign. Despite that confidence in his own ability, Klopp could have done with a swaggering victory over old rivals United to convince any doubters in the Anfield boardroom and on the Kop.
Instead, Klopp’s side once again failed to turn possession into goals and have now won just one of their last eight matches in all competitions, a barren run that has jeopardised their title hopes and put their hopes of advancing from the Champions League group stage at risk.
When José Mourinho brought United to Anfield 12 months ago, he opted for an ultraconservative approach that left Liverpool frustrated and neutrals bored in a tame 0-0 draw.
Having scored four goals four times in the league this season, Mourinho had joked he would play nine attackers at Anfield this time, but the reality was another safety-first game-plan from the arch pragmatist.
He left Marcus Rashford and Juan Mata on the bench and sent United out in a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Romelu Lukaku the lone striker and Anthony Martial asked to do plenty of defensive work on the left flank.
In contrast to Manchester City’s assertive display in their statement win at Chelsea in September, United delivered a big-game performance as drab as their grey away shirts.
It took a brilliant David de Gea save from Joel Matip to deny Liverpool, but Mourinho won’t care about that after securing a point that maintained United’s unbeaten league record this season and could prove valuable to their title aspirations. —
Organisers of the Nedbank Golf Challenge (NGC) are hoping the Race to Dubai is thrown wide open in the coming weeks.
European golf’s order of merit is currently dominated by Tommy Fleetwood, who is set to make the trip to Sun City, but local organisers need the chasing pack, in particular Spaniards Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm, to close in on the Englishman.
The NGC is the penultimate event before the tour climaxes in Dubai and it is hoped the push for points will drive top players south.
“We really wish Tommy Fleetwood well because he’s a great guy, but it will be great if Garcia and Rahm are still in the hunt,” said NGC tournament director Dan Sevel. “Apparently they are both keen on becoming the first Spaniard since Seve Ballesteros to win the European order of merit.
“They also like to hang out, so if the one comes . . . The tournament is earlier which means players don’t bring family.”
Reed maybe, McIlroy a ’no’
Garcia was a popular winner at Sun City in 2001 and 2003, but Rahm, who will turn 23 during the event, could prove a major drawcard. The big-boned player from the Basque country backs up his power game with great finesse on or around the greens.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, however, will not attend.
Although Sevel has all but shut the door on big-name Americans joining the action, he is still holding out hope Ryder Cup hero Patrick Reed will include the NGC as one of his activities on the European Tour.
“The European Tour is working hard on Patrick Reed, but he hasn’t committed yet. He hasn’t asked for an appearance fee.
“It is really difficult to get the Americans because they feel there is only ranking points in it for them, and they ask for an appearance fee. We don’t play in that space.” Italian job will bring clearer picture
Sevel believes this weekend’s Italian Open will help crystalise the field for the NGC. “We get the top 64, so I reckon you can take the current top 85 players in the Race to Dubai and you can take our field from that.”
After two rounds in Italy, Garcia and Rahm were four and six off the pace respectively. Fleetwood lurked two more behind.
Sevel will know more about the likely field in the coming days, but he also has some potentially prickly decisions to make.
“We only have one invitation left. A guy like Danny Willett is keen to come and as a former champion we’d love to have him. Padraig Harrington also wants one and although he’s had a poor year, he has been loyal to this event, as has Retief Goosen.
Fellow South Africans Louis Oosthuizen and Brandon Stone have confirmed their attendance, with the former needing an invite. Sevel is confident Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, George Coetzee, Dean Burmester, Richard Sterne and Haydn Porteous will also tee up at the Gary Player Country Club. Already confirmed for the event are defending champion Alex Noren and compatriot and 2008 winner Henrik Stenson.