Will Liverpool’s in-form players defeat Manchester United's consistency?

It is the mother of all battles in the English Premier League, when the Manchester United vs Liverpool fixture crops up, regardless of the competition. It is an icing on the cake when it is an EPL fixture, which is considered to be one of the most tightly fought fixtures in the world. Liverpool may be far off from the number one position in the EPL standings, which is attained by United with 52 points and Liverpool with 31 points lie in eighth place. But, Liverpool players have looked good in the last two to three matches, so they have an edge over their biggest rival in world football, Manchester United.

Earlier when these two teams met at Anfield, it was Liverpool who dominated the game and many claim that Liverpool deserved to win, which they could not. They lacked the killer stint, especially in the final third. But, this should be no problem with Luis Suarez in red hot form and Daniel Sturridge, their January signing, trying to impress Brendan Rodgers. Luis Suarez has always given his best and has come out with flying colours. One can expect the player to be booed for the racism saga involving Patrice Evra. He will remain unfazed by such circumstances and this will only drive him to perform better and silence the Old Trafford crowd.

One does not know how Brendan Rodgers will use Sturridge, but whatever the formation, Sturridge would leave no stone unturned, as it might be one of the biggest games of his career. He might attain greater heights, if he turns out to be a success on his EPL debut. One has to note that after unimpressive and inconsistent performances in Manchester City and Chelsea colours, he is wearing Liverpool jersey to prove a point. He is hungry for success.

Things look good for Liverpool with their captain, Steven Gerrard having one of the best seasons after a long time. He has been drilling those passes long and accurate paving the way for goals. Of late, we are also getting to see shades of Gerrard of the old, which would alarm the Manchester United team players alongside Alex Ferguson. Stevie’s position (in the midfield) might not have brought positive results when Lucas was injured, as he more or less partnered Allen in the midfield, which did not give him the leverage to progress further ahead on the field. But, with Lucas back, he is getting the bigger share of the ball and playing brilliantly, which he himself agrees. His last few matches have been testament to the fact.

Lucas blends a very fine balance in the Liverpool team by supporting midfielders as well as his defense. He plays a very important role in breaking counter attacks, which he needs to keep a close watch on, as Manchester United are one of the best as far as counter attacking brand of football is concerned. He might be a tad impulsive in tackling players, but he does it fair and square most of the times. He is the unsung hero of the Liverpool football club. Another unsung hero might be Jonjo Shelvey, who has played well in patches justifying his lack of experience, which will only improve. But, his aggressive nature needs to be controlled with caution. His red card offense lingers on the minds of fans from both the clubs. He could pose a serious threat to the Manchester United defenders, especially in set pieces.

Liverpool defender, Agger and Skrtel, are one of the best pairings in the EPL, and have looked solid, but need to be at the top of their game if they are to stop the goal machine, Robin Van Persie, from scoring, which is a humongous task. Very few teams have been able to keep the striker quiet. But these defenders are also good at set pieces, and have proved themselves by scoring crucial headers, which is their forte in offensive set pieces. They are going to miss one of their wing-backs, Enrique, who is out with an injury. But, still, they have one of the best wing-backs in the league, Glenn Johnson, who has a habit of scoring goals. Wisdom might get a chance to play the match, replacing Enrique.

Brendan Rodger’s team looks a determined and a good outfit. But, one cannot take anything for granted especially with Manchester United who possesses Van Persie, one of the best strikers alongside Luis Suarez in the league. The result of the match might depend upon the success of these strikers.