...and the way they are talking, Liverpool Are getting worried about Solskjaer’s men
LIVERPOOL are worried about United, make no mistake.
How do we know? Because virtually everyone connected with the Anfield club sounds just that little bit more worried about a United title challenge than they have been for a few years.
Before descending into the minutiae of how a title battle between English football’s two major rivals would pan out, it is worth detailing the recent comments from Merseyside: pundits, players and even the manager have had a go.
Danny Murphy and Jamie Carragher have led the reactions to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side’s climb up the table.
Murphy said: “My natural instinct isn’t to wish Manchester United well but I have to appreciate that seeing them in the title mix is good for the game.
“The rivalry between Liverpool and City has been enthralling in recent years but nothing can compare with seeing the biggest two clubs in the country – Liverpool and United – going toe-to-toe.”
Carragher, too, believes United are genuine contenders.
“Manchester United can win the Premier League this season,” said the former centre-back. “The more I see them, the more convinced I am that it could happen. In Bruno Fernandes they have one of the Premier League’s outstanding players.”
Next up is James Milner, who even tried to convince reporters he thought United’s form was a good thing.
The Liverpool player said: “I think it’s a positive but it seems to be nobody wants to take it by the scruff of the neck. United have had a good run and they’re probably the only team who are putting a run together.”
And the final piece of the puzzle was Jurgen Klopp, whose concern about United’s form was hidden better than any of the aforementioned, as he strangely suggested no team was yet involved in a title race.
“The last thing I think about is our position in the table,” said Klopp, whose side visit Southampton tonight. “It’s nice, but it doesn’t matter at this stage of the season.”
The different responses to United’s surge in form and subsequent closing of the gap to Liverpool prove Klopp wrong. The season might be less than half done, but there is a title race happening here. And it’s not just United and Liverpool involved in it. Leicester, Everton, City, Chelsea and Tottenham will all believe they are part of the conversation, too.
Yet the media attention is on United versus Liverpool. That’s because of the football Solskjaer’s men are playing right now. The fact they seem to have their swagger back, inspired by Fernandes.
Solskjaer, like Klopp, is good at deflecting important issues when they arise in press conferences. And on this issue, the pressure is off the Norwegian.
His side were not expected to mount a title bid of any sort, and perhaps their challenge will wilt before the end of the season.
For now though, the pressure is all on Liverpool and it is showing with results on the pitch and comments off it.
United’s trip to Anfield on January 17 will only mean increased scrutiny and more talk of a title challenge in the coming days and weeks.
At the moment, Solskjaer’s men look to be enjoying the back-and-forth more than their rivals. Liverpool are worried.