Old Trafford Awaits

This coming Sunday is arguably(depending on you're viewpoint) the biggest game in English football. The English games most decorated sides battle again, always eagerly anticipated and nerve racking in equal measure. Why is that?  If I was born a Scouser the Merseyside Derby would be the biggest game much like for a Mancunian would be against City. If you're reading this most likely just as myself, you are regarded as a OTT, Woolyback(WOOL) etc...to many outside the two cities that is what we are actually are. Why is then a lad from Ireland would find these games described above?

Like me, when you were in Primary and Secondary school the rivalry between two set of fans was one which grew due to the success of Manchester United and coinciding of Liverpool's drop from grace. Apart from a few false dawns we were on a whole not on their radar in title challenges. "Come back to me when you win 18 league titles" was the cry and I would admit it myself I said it along with the now comical "Next year is our year". 

When you are 10,11,12 years of age, the optimism you had clouded judgement somewhat and in my view the comment above stemmed from 2 generations of Liverpool supporters never seeing them win a League title. The fact that Liverpool were not winning these games against United on a whole was harder to bare. Just like it was for United supporters back in the 70's-80's, where they actually had the one off wins in Cup Finals, league games to treasure despite never on Liverpool's radar throughout that period. Which brings us to Sunday, a lot of useless information above but you get the point we are coming on too. 

This weekend both set of fans find themselves in opposite world, even noted by Wayne Rooney in which he summed a lot of what it means supporting either club: "To see Manchester City doing well, and particularly Liverpool, is really difficult."  case in point, "particularly Liverpool, is really difficult". Both clubs need each other as much as the other in my honest opinion. Yes, we like to see United the position they are in at the moment but these games whether it be League or Cup(unfortunately not in the Champions League, although a Semi-Final in 2002 was within reach until we balls it up away in Leverkusen), they what make football, football. 

Old Trafford, a bogey ground recently for Liverpool especially since we last won there 5 years ago this week. The magical day which wobbled United for a couple of games until Federico Macheda popped up and ruined our chances in a few games in the run-in that season. The defeats since have been heartbreaking like any other, 2-1, 3-2, 2-1,2-1 scorelines in the League aligned with the two 1-0 defeats in the FA & League Cups at the home of the current champions makes dull reading for Red-men everywhere. In a season of breaking "hoodoo's" can another be annexed, in a season where just about anything has happened??

Liverpool travel to Old Trafford as favourites for the first time in 20+ years, an unusual position we as a supporters have seen. On form yes, but our record at Old Trafford should be taken into context despite Moyes's struggles in a one off game United like they have done at home to Arsenal earlier this season produced a performance in a one off game and come out the other side as the victors. As one United supporter said to me, "as long as we beat you at Old Trafford" a role reversal as it was usually myself saying it to them. A unique position that Rodgers men find themselves in, Sunday could be special or one of those days at Old Trafford. We know the key areas where each side could exploit each other's weaknesses, 73 goals this season from a Liverpool point of view gives us confidence that we can do the business, press United's midfield will be key as we seen recently in their defeat to Olympiakos albeit away from home United could not cope. 

It's not if but when Liverpool do that will United be able to cope with that and the tempo of our attack who knows. What I am sure of its going to nerve racking and eagerly anticipating like every other game against them, ask to me make a prediction. A clean sheet and a 1-0 would do fine for the tricky Reds.