Harry Redknapp and Wayne Rooney agree that Manchester United could possibly be in for a troublesome afternoon after they take to the sphere away to bitter rivals Liverpool.
Liverpool enter the eagerly anticipated contest in third place, boasting a five-point advantage over the Red Devils, who’re languishing down in eleventh.
However the reigning Premier League champions have encountered their first major blip since Arne Slot took over the reins from Jurgen Klopp, with the Reds suffering three straight defeats in all competitions before the international break.
United, against this, cruised to a snug 2-0 win over Sunderland of their previous clash and might have headed to Merseyside with a spring of their step, sensing a possible upset against their age-old rivals.
Manchester City leapfrogged Liverpool with victory over Everton on Saturday, but Slot’s men know they will reclaim second place with maximum points at Anfield.
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Arsenal ensured they’ll finish the weekend top of the table whatever the result following their defeat of Fulham at Craven Cottage, through which Leandro Trossard was the one goalscorer.
Previewing Sunday’s motion for BetVictor, Redknapp predicted a 3-1 win for Liverpool, with the match representing a possibility for the hosts to flex their muscles and ‘show just why they were champions’.
‘The large game of the week, and abruptly, an interesting clash,’ the previous Tottenham manager said.
‘Liverpool have lost three in a row, but they’ve all been away from home, which may occur. I do think we’ll see an improvement from them here; the fans will make a difference.
‘As for United, they beat Sunderland last time, but they gave up loads of possibilities and it wasn’t essentially the most convincing display.
‘They really played thoroughly here last season and may need even won that game, so I wouldn’t write them off.
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‘It may be mistaken, but I feel that is the form of game where we’ll see Liverpool show just why they were champions.’
Redknapp picked out Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz as his ‘ones to observe’, claiming the criticism directed at Liverpool’s two summer signings had been ‘overblown’.
‘One to observe — I’m cheating and picking two players here, Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. A lot has been written about these two big-money signings,’ he added.
‘A few of it has been fair; a few of it’s been a bit overblown. This might be the right game to indicate their quality.’
Ex-Manchester United captain Rooney, meanwhile, believes his former club can be delighted to return away from Anfield with some extent.
Nevertheless, Rooney feels the pressure is ‘definitely’ on Liverpool to reply after three successive losses.
‘Just with Liverpool losing three games, I feel that pride kicks in and the fans will know, the fans are usually not silly, they know and can get behind the team and push them,’ he said on The Wayne Rooney Show.
‘So for United, I feel going there, if United come away with some extent, I feel that may be huge.
‘I feel the pressure for this game, I feel purely because I don’t think United fans will likely be expecting three points on this game, where in other games they’re.
‘I feel they’ll go in a say, if we are able to get some extent we’ll be joyful with that, where I feel for Liverpool, if Liverpool lose 4 games in a row and so they lose to Manchester United at Anfield, I feel the pressure is unquestionably on Liverpool for this game.’
Rooney, United’s all-time top goalscorer, went on: ‘I feel whenever you bring so many recent players in, they’ve all probably got a little bit of an ego in their very own way, all wanting to do well and find that chemistry with one another.
‘I feel that hasn’t quite hit off yet, though they won the primary five games, I feel the last three games has shown everyone and exposed those first five games.
‘I feel it’s an excellent reset time for Liverpool with where they’re on the minute.’
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