Classic encounter is on the cards... but could it
I’M supremely confident I will be celebrating a famous United win at Anfield on Saturday when the Premier League returns with a bang.
The Reds on this side of the East Lancs Road have a heaven-sent opportunity to end all the jibes from City fans in particular that they have not played any club of any significance so far this season – and that their position equal top of the Premier League alongside the Blues is not a fair reflection of the team’s progress under Jose Mourinho.
United led by the excellent Romelu Lukaku have been banging them in and at last bringing back the excitement for the fans after some less than inspiring seasons following the end of the Trophy-laden Fergie era.
After 4-0 wins for United against Palace, Everton, Swansea and Watford already this season hundreds of hopeful supporters think it could happen again – and 4-0 at Anfield is 80/1 at Betfred. I’m sweating on that believe me.
Liverpool in seventh need a win big time and with fans starting to get anxious will be out to put Mourinho’s new-look team in their place so a classic encounter is on the cards… and that’s just what we need after the dull as dull can be international break. Lukaku is 3/1 favourite to open the scoring at Anfield, 20/1 for the hat-trick while Marcus Rashford is 6/1 to hit the first goal.
England may have qualified for the World Cup in Russia next year but
unless there is a huge improvement in Gareth Southgate’s team we have no chance of winning it. We have one world class player in Harry Kane and a fast-improving youngster in Rashford – and not much else.
It is no wonder we’re 20/1 at Betfred to win it behind 5/1 favourites Germany, while Brazil are 6/1 and Argentina 8/1. My tip for what it is worth is France at 11/2 – and I hope Belgium at 14/1 with so many Premier League stars in their ranks do themselves justice.
Finally Sir Bobby Charlton, a true superstar of his generation who terrified the opposition when we won the World Cup in 1966, celebrated his 80th birthday on Wednesday. What a player, what a gentleman – and a true ambassador of the game. With his cultured play and thunderbolt long-distance shots he’d be worth £150m today!