How Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may out-fox Jurgen Klopp on Sunday | Premier League 2018/19

After Manchester United’s win over Chelsea in the FA Cup on Monday night, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got lots of praise for his tactical depth, and rightly so. Now Solskjaer faces another challenge, this time in the Premier League against old rivals Liverpool.

Solskjaer is expected by the Manchester faithful to outwit Jürgen Klopp and his metallic football style. If he does that, he’ll surely be considered a serious challenger by all his rivals. Also, it will boost his chances of being confirmed as Manchester United’s full-time manager.

Against Liverpool, he’ll meet a side that has gelled well and with a class forward line that will easily unsettle him. Also, Liverpool likes to high-press, so his creative players will not be allowed much time on the ball.

The football will be quick and sometimes straight forward as Klopp will not want to take any chances and be out-foxed by the young Norwegian manager. However, take nothing away from Solskjaer, he has pulled off some tactical master classes namely against Arsenal and Chelsea recently.

This will be a game that he’d have been thoroughly prepared for and will have worked up every angle. Be sure of one thing, against Liverpool, Manchester United will go for the win. If not for the top-four, then at least to get one over their bitter rivals.

Here’s how Solskjaer may end up out-smarting Klopp in this tie.

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#4 Smalling at the back

Chris Smalling to partner Lindelof at the back

We saw against Chelsea how impressive and solid Chris Smalling can be when he gets going. In fact, before the injury that kept him out for most of December and January, he was the most consistent United central defender. If that form against Chelsea was anything to go by, Solskjaer may have just found his right centre back pairing after all, until the end of the season.

Smalling is a rugged defender who likes and enjoys winning duels. Liverpool will not get a kick in especially in the air while he’s there, he will win almost everything they throw at him.

That will compliment Victor Lindelof well as he’s more of the guy who likes to cover and defend with both his brain and his body. Smalling will try to win all the first balls into the United box and bring in some physical presence at the back. Leaving Lindelof to mop up for him and distribute the ball from the back.

And with his pace, he will not get run ragged by the Liverpool defence. Also, he’s a threat in the opposing box and if it isn’t going well for the strikers, he may come up with a goal.

#3 The Herrera factor

Industrious Herrera

Paul Pogba has been getting a lot of praise for his performances of late, and rightly so. He’s really shone for United under Solskjaer. But the reason why he has been shining is because of the freedom afforded to him by Ander Herrera.

Herrera has really been a vital cog to Ole Gunnar’s team and he’s been the one that has been doing the donkey work in that midfield. He’s done it so effectively that United no longer seem to be overwhelmed in the middle of the park.

He was in and out of the team under previous managers and he’s surely taken his chance this time round to make it count. He’s showing that he deserves his spot and he should keep it. No longer does he only do the dirty work, he also contributes with his passing range and has been the one linking the defence to the attack.

If Liverpool thinks he’s going to do only the dirty job, they’ll be rudely shocked as Chelsea were in the FA Cup when he ran from deep to score.

#2 Pogba’s brilliance

Pogba is playing at a high level since Solskjaer arrived

What more can be said about Pogba? The French star is finally coming to his own and huge thanks to Ole Gunnar for unshackling him – finally. With a total of nine goals and six assists, he’s showing the form that everyone expected of him.

Against Liverpool, they’ll try to deny him space to do much damage to them and he’d surely be expecting that. This means he’ll have to be prepared to be man-marked in this tie.

That will give him an advantage as he’ll know what’s coming, it won’t be a huge surprise as it was against PSG where they had Marquinhos shadow him. Klopp may, of course, try to put Fabinho on him but that may just end up working against them.

Pogba will probe, trick and bulldoze his way trying to make things happen for United. And if not careful, he may be the one that undoes Liverpool in this game. But it won’t really matter much; he’ll surely want to have an impact here as he did against Chelsea.

#1 Marcus Rashford’s Movement

Rashford is performing great lately

Marcus Rashford will have a say in this game no matter where he’s played. Trent Alexander-Arnold will remember the kind of torrid time he has had against Rashford in the past and will not want to come up against him.

Rashford has really been impressive this season and under Solskjaer, he’s really brought it. With goals, assists and incredible movements, Liverpool will be fools not to take note of him.

Yes, Virgil Van Dijk have been impressive this season, but Rashford will give Liverpool's defence something different to think about in this tie. He also wants to prove that Ole has been right in playing him instead of Romelu Lukaku. There aren't many games as big as this one for Manchester United and Rashford will need to perform.

As a player brought through the system at United, Rashford will want to get one over the club’s old rivals. Liverpool should be worried about his off the ball movements as he’ll try to drag the Reds' defenders out of position. If he successfully does that, the runners from deep will have space to exploit and hurt Liverpool.

If Van Dijk doesn’t marshal his charges well, Rashford will have a field day against them.