Clyne ready to take it to United

LONDON: Liverpool defender Nathaniel Clyne says the Reds need to take the game to Manchester United if they are to get a positive result at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Brendan Rodgers’ side go into the game having lost 3-0 at home to West Ham United before the start of the international break. United also lost their last match, 2-1 at Swansea City.

“One of the reasons I signed for Liverpool is to play in big matches like this,” Clyne told the club’s website.

“Working hard, playing on the front foot and taking the game to them is going to be key. We can’t allow them to pass the ball around as they like to or have too much free space. We need to be at their throats from the start, not let them settle in the game, and with the quality we have up front we can cause them problems.”

Clyne, who has six England caps and started against San Marino last Friday, was part of the Southampton side that won at Old Trafford last season.

“Playing at Old Trafford last season with Southampton and getting the three points was a great feeling,” he said. “We played really well, and you have to be on top of your game if you want to come away with three points.”

Meanwhile, there is no problem between goalkeeper David de Gea and United manager Louis van Gaal after his failed move to Real Madrid and midfielder Juan Mata expects his fellow Spaniard to have a fine season.

De Gea, the club’s Player-of-the-Year the last two seasons, was heavily linked with a move to Real throughout the summer transfer window but a deal failed to materialise as the Spanish club ran out of time.

“I’ve talked with him a lot. There have been hectic and stressful days but he is such a quiet, centred person, nothing changes,” the 27-year-old Mata told British media yesterday. “The last two years David has been the best player in our team. His saves have earned us a lot of points. I have no doubt this will be a very good year, too.

“I don’t think there’ll be a problem with the club, the coach or the fans. That’s what I perceive.

“The fans love him very much, he’s highly regarded by the club and the coach,” the former Chelsea playmaker added.

In other news, Everton defender Leighton Baines has insisted that the transfer window should shut before the League starts to avoid talented youngsters such as John Stones being forced into “difficult” situations.

The injured England left-back has echoed Toffees’ manager Roberto Martinez in the wake of Chelsea’s pursuit of the 21year-old and praised the young defender for handling the intense scrutiny and his professionalism. “The manager’s touched on it a few times that the window shouldn’t be open and I think pretty much everyone in football would agree with that,” Baines told the club website. “It’s just a source of entertainment for people on the outside now and it doesn’t help anybody in the game”. – Reuters