The international break has arrived, but there is one fixture that will already be dominating conversations among Liverpool supporters.
Manchester United are coming to Anfield on Sunday, November 22, and this is shaping up to be a huge afternoon for Andoni Iraola and his players.
There might be no Liverpool football for the next couple of weeks, but the countdown to one of the biggest games of the season has already begun.
Liverpool head into the break on the back of an important 3-1 victory away to Crystal Palace. After disappointing defeats against Arsenal and Fenerbahçe, getting back to winning ways was exactly what the team needed.
It was not a perfect performance, but the three points mattered. More importantly, it gave Iraola something positive to build on during the international window.
The last thing Liverpool need is more injuries
My biggest concern during this break is the number of important players who could return carrying fitness problems.
Virgil van Dijk has withdrawn from the Netherlands squad for fitness reasons, while Dominik Szoboszlai is facing an assessment after picking up a knee problem against Crystal Palace.
Ryan Gravenberch has also been struggling with a heel injury, and Liverpool will be desperate to get him back available.
There is no point pretending these are insignificant issues. Van Dijk’s leadership, Szoboszlai’s energy and Gravenberch’s ability in midfield are all important to this team.
Iraola will be hoping his international players return in good condition. We have already seen Liverpool suffer setbacks during previous international windows, and the last thing we need is another list of injuries just before such an important fixture.
The manager needs as many of his key players available as possible.
Manchester United are in a terrible position
There is no getting away from the fact that United’s visit to Anfield comes at an interesting time.
As things stand, Manchester United are sitting 18th in the Premier League table, in the relegation zone, with just eight points from their opening ten matches.
Their recent league form has been dreadful, and Liverpool will know this is an opportunity to put another difficult afternoon in front of their biggest rivals.
But I certainly won’t be taking anything for granted.
We have seen Liverpool make hard work of games this season, and United will be desperate to turn their fortunes around. They might be struggling, but that does not mean they will simply roll over at Anfield.
In fact, the pressure will be enormous on both sides.
Iraola needs his players to make a statement
I want to see Liverpool approach this game with the intensity and confidence we saw in spells against Crystal Palace.
Too often this season, we have lacked urgency and quality in the final third. The midfield needs to take greater responsibility for supplying our forwards, while the whole team must show more consistency without the ball.
Against United, there can be no passengers.
The players need to understand what this fixture means to supporters. It is more than just another three points, and winning at Anfield against Manchester United can give the entire club a lift.
Iraola is still building his team, and I remain convinced he deserves time to put his own stamp on this squad. But these are the occasions when managers and players are judged, and a convincing performance would be a massive boost.
Anfield needs to be rocking
Sunday, November 22, cannot come quickly enough.
Liverpool have an opportunity to build on the Palace victory, move further up the table and give supporters something to celebrate against our biggest rivals.
The international break might have temporarily stopped the Premier League, but the importance of this fixture is already clear.
I just hope we get through the next couple of weeks without any more injury problems.
Manchester United are coming to Anfield, and I want to see Liverpool go out there with aggression, confidence and a determination to put them under pressure from the first whistle.
Forget the league position and forget the recent struggles. This is Liverpool against Manchester United at Anfield. Nothing less than maximum effort will do.
By Jamie (The Kopite View)
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