5 elements that destroyed Liverpool vs Manchester United

It is not unusual in the Premier League for such games between the biggest clubs to be over-hyped to a level that leads to inevitable disappointment, but a game that promised so much on Saturday produced so little, and we probably weren't that surprised.

Manchester United have been scoring for fun this season, while Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been forced to repeatedly answer questions over his leaky defence. But arriving at Anfield on a day when the home club were paying homage to the great Kenny Dalglish suggested Mourinho would be in a destructive, rather than creative, mindset.

And the moody Portuguese boss frustrated us by not disappointing us in that respect, and set his team up to frustrate and restrict their opponents instead of playing to the attacking strengths that had helped them keep pace with noisy neighbours Manchester City. A smug Mourinho left with a point and clean sheet, content in the knowledge that he had spoilt the party for his own gain.

So why was this famous fixture such a flop this time around? Mourinho was vilified for his approach in the media the following morning, but there was more to it than just his negativity, and the different elements that make up this latest disappointment suggest that the great games between these two clubs in the past may sadly never be repeated.

---

#5 The dictation of TV

Television is king when it comes to dictating Premier League matters

An early kick-off on the Saturday after an international break was hardly the perfect time to play a game of such magnitude, and it was a concern voiced by Jurgen Klopp in his pre-match press conference. Both managers had players returning from across the world just a couple of days before the game, and limited time to work with naturally fatigued individuals was never likely to be a successful combination.

But clubs are happy to take their share of the television money when it comes around, and for that, they have to dance to the tune of their paymasters. With the match attracting millions of viewers from around the world, this was a prime marketing product, and if those in charge had decided on kicking-off at midnight then that is what it would be.

How much of an impact this factor actually had on the game, in reality, is debatable, but there is no doubt that the modern-day Premier League player is a finely-tuned athlete, and any break in rhythm or routine is unlikely to have a positive impact on their performance.

In addition, raising such concerns in public like Klopp did will plant a negative seed in the mind of the players, and if the players hear that their schedule will make it difficult for them they will eventually start to believe it. It is a criticism that has been launched at the managers of all the top Premier League clubs this season, as if they are in some sort of pack to force an eventual winter break, perish the thought.

#4 More spectators than supporters

Premier League football has become a tourist attraction

This isn't a problem unique to this fixture, but fans from around the world flocked to Anfield on Saturday for the biggest game of the season. They came from the far corners of the globe to experience the incredible atmosphere, but without realising that they would ultimately be responsible for creating it.

The Kop and the away end may retain the key elements of traditional support, but the rest of the stadium resembled spectators at a theatre, waiting to be entertained before reacting accordingly. Dressed in half-and-half scarves and watching the game through the screen of their phone, the majority of the crowd on Saturday represented one of the most disappointing aspects of the modern game.

Football at the highest-level increasingly distances itself from the traditional football fan and their family, and the price of watching regular Premier League football is now a significant investment on the annual household income. In fact, just watching it on television can be a big expenditure.

The German Bundesliga has a model that ensures the traditions of support upon which the game has been built remains, but as their clubs fall further behind Europe's elite, it seems only a matter of time before their fans are increasingly exploited in the pursuit of success. Admittedly, fans need something to shout about, but the importance of creating the right atmosphere for such a fixture cannot be underestimated.

#3 The lack of recent success

Ian Rush was part of a golden era in Liverpool's history

Of course, one of the reasons why Liverpool and Manchester United teams of the past would have taken the game to their opponents is due to the fact that over the course of the last few decades they have been two of the best teams in the country, and in Europe. Liverpool dominated domestic matters during the 1970s and '80s, while United took over the mantle in the decades that followed.

However, both teams have been eclipsed in recent years, and while United still come to terms with the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, Liverpool remain in search of that elusive first Premier League title. Both sides have had their relative struggles in recent seasons, and it is inevitable that their lack of glory has made an impression on their negative approach to such key games.

Success breeds confidence and belief, and until the major trophies start returning to Anfield and Old Trafford respectively, questions will continue to be asked about their future direction under the guidance of Klopp and Mourinho. United have made the better progress in recent years, but they are no longer automatic favourites for the title, while Liverpool appear to have reached a significant stage in their recent evolution.

The question for Liverpool now is about how much further Klopp can take this team without massive investment, and the focus in each transfer window tends to be on keeping key players rather than signing more. To really move forward, new ownership may be required, but the big spenders of the Premier League are now on a different level to anything known before.

#2 A negative attitude and approach

Jose Mourinho makes a change during the 0-0 draw against Liverpool

Jose Mourinho has been heavily criticised for his negative influence on how the match was played out on Saturday, but Jurgen Klopp is not entirely blameless in this regard either. Although Liverpool created slightly more chances, they had the opportunity to do more, but remained fearful of falling into Mourinho's trap. Not losing was more important to both managers than winning.

As the manager of the away team, Mourinho has currency to argue the case for his actions having come away from a difficult away fixture with a point and a clean sheet, but showing such an element of fear about taking the game to Liverpool signifies a key change in Manchester United's approach. This is a fixture that has defined generations of players for both clubs, but the latest will be quickly forgotten.

And the difference is that Sir Alex Ferguson would have never complimented Liverpool to that extent, and if he had set his side up so cautiously, it would have been an admission that he had no confidence in his side. Ferguson's Manchester United would have had that determination to win against their bitter rivals, and not trying to would have been considered unforgivable.

Likewise, Liverpool teams of the past would have rarely defied the orders of the Kop to attack their rivals, especially when they were playing with such a cautious and defensive approach. In the past, it would have meant more to both sides to lose by trying to win than to play for and succeed in earning a draw, but this change in approach marks the sad decline of a fixture that once promised so much more.

#1 No local passion

Gary Neville and Steven Gerrard understood what this fixture meant to both clubs

Think of the most memorable and famous moments between these two clubs in the Premier League era, and figures like Steven Gerrard, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Jamie Carragher and Ryan Giggs come to mind. They were players that had grown up as fans of their respective clubs, understanding and appreciating what it meant to play against the other.

Sadly, there were no local leaders on the field on Saturday, and it showed. There was no understanding of this history of the fixture and what it means to each city. There was no appreciation of the previous rivalries that had headlined past encounters, and no recognition for the players that had sweat blood in this very fixture before them.

Instead, two well-drilled and disciplined mixtures of mainly foreign players followed the instructions of their respective foreign managers to the letter, and the fact that there was barely a controversial incident served only to emphasise how much edge this particular fixture has lost. This was not what the pre-match hype was about, but the former players responsible for building the fixture up were talking only about a past era.

In March 2015, Steven Gerrard was famously sent off for Liverpool against Manchester United just 41 seconds after coming off the bench. In January 2006, Gary Neville goaded Liverpool fans at Old Trafford following a later winner against their bitter rivals. Both actions were very different and neither can really be condoned. However, they are prime examples of the passion spread over the course of nearly a decade that has now not only been lost, but doesn't seem likely to return anytime soon.