Manchester United vs Liverpool Betting Tips (24/10/21) – Reds’ Perfectly Placed to Gain Local Bragging Rights

Have Liverpool ever been in better shape heading into the ‘local’ derby with Manchester United? It’s a fair question given that the Reds remain unbeaten in the Premier League and racked up their third straight victory in the Champions League in Madrid on Tuesday.

United, meanwhile, were being booed off at half-time at Old Trafford in their own European outing, and while they did rally to defeat Atalanta it was clear for all to see that all is not well in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s camp.

It’s not just the nature of Liverpool’s results that’s so pleasing either, but the quality of their performances. When you are winning and playing well into the bargain, it feels much more repeatable and sustainable.

For the most part, the Reds dominated Spanish champions Atletico Madrid in midweek, and while the scoreline wouldn’t suggest as such this was a game that Liverpool controlled even prior to the sending off of Antoine Griezmann.

Such was the ferocity of their start that Liverpool found themselves 2-0 up after just 13 minutes. Who will claim the opener remains to be seen, with Mo Salah’s jinking run and shot seemingly taking a deflection in off the oblivious James Milner – the Egyptian wheeled away in celebration after finding the net in his ninth consecutive game.

In the thirteenth minute the lead was doubled. Naby Keita has not been a prolific goalscorer for the Reds, but he is just starting to find some form and notched an absolute screamer in the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium – it would be impossible to strike a volley cleaner than this.

That should have been the end of the game as a contest, but a couple of defensive lapses let Atletico back in – Griezmann bagging a brace before half-time to ensure the tie was perfectly poised heading into the second period.

The Frenchman was sent off shortly after the break, perhaps questionably so but you simply can’t go into challenges with a high boot anymore. Naturally, that gave Liverpool the added impetus that they needed.

But they would have to wait until the 78th minute for the breakthrough, when Diogo Jota was brought down by Mario Hermoso in the box and Salah ruthlessly despatched the resulting spot kick.

A couple of fine saves from Alisson – and a potential shout for a penalty of their own from Atleti – ensured the game ended in chaotic fashion, but Liverpool clung on to clinch the three points and cement their position at the top of Group B.

Now it’s on to Sunday, and the not-inconsiderable task of a trip to Old Trafford….

Liverpool Team News

There were a few raised eyebrows when Fabinho wasn’t named in the Liverpool starting eleven against Atleti, and even more so when he was brought on as a half-time substitute to provide some midfield ballast in place of Keita.

It would seem that was a tactical decision, and we doubt that Jurgen Klopp will make the same mistake on Sunday.

But who will join the Brazilian in midfield? The ageing legs of Jordan Henderson and Milner have got through a lot of football lately, and we presume that only one – Henderson – will start at Old Trafford.

It just doesn’t seem as though Klopp fully trusts Keita, and so it may be that Curtis Jones – impressive prior to his injury, which he is now back in training from – gets the nod.

As a hunch, rather than a given, watch out to see if Joe Gomez starts ahead of Joel Matip too….

Manchester United Form

The knives are out for Solskjaer, and you can see why when defeat to Atalanta – as looked likely at half-time – would have left United without a win in four outings.

In the end, that second half rally against the Italians might just prove to be a catalyst for improvement in the United ranks, although you sense that Ole is merely treading water at the helm.

They have now shipped six goals in 180 minutes of football – factoring the 2-4 defeat at Leicester, highlighting the importance of Raphael Varane to this backline, and while goals of their own are in short supply conceding two or three per game is not exactly a recipe for success….

Manchester United vs Liverpool Betting Tips

One of the best attacking teams on the planet right now meets a side that is showing enormous frailties defensively….you’d like to think a Liverpool victory is set in stone.

But these fixtures do have a habit of defying expectations, and as we know United have got goals in them – perhaps we shouldn’t be too quick to predict a Liverpool victory, although that seems to be the smart bet at a healthy 5/4.

Some games of football just have goals written all over them – famous last words, and this is no exception. Backing Over 2.5 Goals and Both Teams to Score is the right way to go at odds of 5/6.