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Football has a way of aligning interests even when the teams playing are rivals. On Tuesday, that was exactly the case when Manchester United hosted Leicester City in the Premier League.
While the two teams battled at Old Trafford for supremacy, no other fanbase looked more interested than Liverpool. In the end, Leicester City triumphed 2-1, rising above Chelsea into third and boosting their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
The result caused a meltdown on social media, with some Liverpool fans accusing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer of tanking the match after making 10 changes to his team.
This may be a genuine concern but the Red Devils also needed to rest players in the wake of a tight fixture pile and an upcoming Europa League final.
Rivalries reignited
Clearly, many Liverpool fans were unhappy with Manchester United’s defeat to the Foxes and this further heightened the rivalry between the two teams.
Jurgen Klopp’s side will travel to Old Trafford on Thursday with the aim of getting three points against their bitter rivals.
Having recently been dethroned as Premier League champions by Manchester City, the Reds now face the risk of not qualifying for the Champions League.
For Manchester United, though, the mission is to compound the misery of the Merseyside outfit. Solskjaer’s side has already qualified for next season’s Champions League but it is clear the Norwegian will be playing his best team against the Reds.
This is a game that won’t be taken for granted by either side, although Liverpool will be more desperate for the win due to their position on the league table.
Manchester United could end Liverpool’s Champions League dreams
A year ago, Liverpool were bulldozing their way to a 19th Premier League title. However, the Reds have been a pale shadow of themselves this season.
Guaranteed to end the campaign without any piece of silverware, the Reds also now have their Champions League dreams at the mercy of their biggest rivals.
“If we don't qualify for the Champions League it is not the fault of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his team selection or the Premier League, it is our fault,” Klopp said, as quoted by the BBC.
Meanwhile, Solskjaer has no sympathies for Liverpool. The Norwegian believes his priority is only to Manchester United and has laid down the gauntlet.
"My job is for Manchester United and my concern is the Manchester United fans,” Solskjaer told Sky Sports.
"What they think about my team, what they want from my team and that we come together as one and show what Manchester United is."
Liverpool are currently trailing Chelsea, Leicester City and West Ham United in the race for the Premier League’s top four. That means anything less than a win on Thursday could end their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
As damning and humiliating as this scenario looks for Klopp’s side, Manchester United must be salivating at the prospect of denying their rivals a place in Europe’s premier club competition.
