LET’S not beat around the bush here, Manchester United v Liverpool is comfortably the biggest in English football.
United fans shouldn’t be thinking about settling for a point at the weekend.
Manchester United v Liverpool is easily the biggest game in English footballGetty Images - Getty
They should be going into it expecting their side to take all three, which would go a long way to helping them secure Champions League football next season.
I’ve heard people mention the game against Sevilla on Tuesday as the priority, but when I played under Sir Alex Ferguson, he’d have picked a team capable of going out and winning the game against Liverpool and then the next one against the Spaniards.
If I was to turn the clock back to when I played, we didn’t have a big squad, but Sir Alex would make it clear to us that he expected us to win each and every time we stepped out onto the pitch.
It’s the here and now that mattered, and not the next game.
Sir Alex Ferguson would always expect his team to winAction Images - Reuters
Paul Parker previews Manchester United’s massive clash against LiverpoolPA:Empics Sport
Now, no disrespect, but if United were playing someone like West Brom on Saturday then I might understand it, but it’s not, it’s Liverpool, and United can’t be seen to be playing defensively against them.
Another way to look at it is if you can beat Liverpool, the players and fans would get a huge lift going into the Sevilla match.
MONEY SHOT Manchester United will be forced to pay Monaco £9m this weekend if Anthony Martial scores against LiverpoolOne thing that certainly helped us was continuity and the little partnerships we had across the pitch.
We had Pallister and Bruce, Keane and Ince, and Cantona and Hughes, and that rarely changed whoever we played and it was never about containing, only winning.
Sure we’d set up with four defenders who could defend well, but we’d also have two central midfielders who could attack and defend, and two wide players who could get at defences, ask questions and create chances as well as posing their own threat in front of goal.
And that’s the United way.
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The league games against teams like Manchester City, Liverpool and Leeds were the ones we lived for and what we thrived on.
Three points against these teams meant so much and could kick-start another run for you.
I believe United must go into this game on Saturday with a better mind set and approach than what we saw earlier this season against City.
Liverpool and Manchester United drew 0-0 the last time they playedGetty Images - Getty
Sadio Mane, Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino make up Liverpool’s devastating attackAFP or licensors
Second shouldn’t be seen as good enough for United or Liverpool, but, it’s the position both teams find themselves in, which is why I think playing for draw won’t sit well with the supporters.
Liverpool have their own threat and three very dangerous forward players who are capable of carving you open.
What might help United is the fact that Liverpool have to win to take back second spot which may, unexpectedly, create room in their half for United’s creative players to exploit.
It might not be a classic despite the hype, but hopefully we see a home win.
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