This could bite me on the bum..but lack of leaders puts United miles behind

FOOTBALL, above most other things, has a wonderful way of coming back and biting the unwary columnist on the backside!

So when I say that Manchester United really are a long, long way behind Liverpool at the minute – and really shouldn’t get close to a result at Anfield – then I know what is likely to happen next.

It makes no difference, though. Even if they win today, it doesn’t detract from the fact that United are such a distance off, they need to take a long, hard look at what’s been going on at Old Trafford.

If they do get a result, then it emphasises the need to take a long, hard look at the players Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has in his squad – and seriously question them.

I know they beat Manchester City away, but that troubles me. It’s like those FA Cup games where minnows go to a huge club and lift their game as it’s their occasion of a lifetime.

But we’re not talking minnows with United.

These are supposed to be the elite of the game – and I think there’s a mentality problem.

Liverpool and City are miles ahead because they have better players, better squads.

United have had so much money thrown at their squad – and yet there’s so little to show for it.

I’d ask specifically, where are the leaders? Where are the players who demand consistency and commitment in every game?

Probably United’s best two performances of the season were at City and at home to Liverpool. But why aren’t they producing that level of form every week?

OK, they have a few young players. No excuse. So do Liverpool. So do City. So do Chelsea. Not good enough.

I’ve always been suspicious of teams who lifted themselves when they fancied it. I know it was an accusation levelled at some of the Liverpool sides I played in. In a sense, there was some truth in that.

We had a damn good side that could often beat United, but we couldn’t match their consistency.

However, I believe there was a different problem in character – and that reflects the situation between Liverpool and United today, but in reverse.

When United were winning things, it put pressure on us, as their big rivals, to compete and try to match them. So there was a bit of desperation from the club and the fans.

Liverpool threw quite a bit of money at it. But did we do the homework that Sir Alex Ferguson did, spend time planning in the long term, not just trying to get a short-term fix?

Now that situation is reversed and with City complicating it, too.

Liverpool and City have pursued five-year plans with their managers, building teams and squads over long periods, buying good, young players with potential and developing them.

They are largely making superstars, not buying them.

And, yeah, Virgil van Dijk cost a bomb. But he’d played for Celtic and Southampton, not Real bloody Madrid. He’s a far better player now than when he arrived.

Raheem Sterling is an example of Pep Guardiola’s ability to develop players – decent when he arrived, but now close to superstar level. United saw that – and were desperate.

So they spent silly money trying to keep up, on readymade stars from the biggest clubs – Schweinsteiger, Di Maria, Ibrahimovic, Falcao, Mkhitaryan, Sanchez.

Stupid money for the wrong players.

I don’t believe they did their homework on them.

And if you don’t, you end up with a squad with the wrong characters and the wrong mentality.

That’s why I started this column by saying United are a million miles away from Liverpool at the minute… and I don’t care if they come and bite me on the bum, it will still be the truth.