Liverpool v Man Utd: Goals forecast with Reds’ defence depleted
Published:Despite making their best start to a Premier League campaign since the 2008/09 season, there must be an air of apprehension amongst the Liverpool fans ahead of this clash with their fiercest foes.
Daniel Sturridge’s two goals in two league games have ensured the Reds six points from as many on offer, but the dearth of defenders they have been left with on account of a string of injuries means they’ll do well to make it a hat-trick of clean sheets against Manchester United.
However, given that Daniel Agger is the only fully fit, experienced centre half Brendan Rodgers has to call upon – though Martin Skrtel and Kolo Toure may pass late fitness tests – it’s United’s price that should possess the most appeal.
There has only been one draw in the previous 17 meetings between the pair, with the most recent four finishing 2-1, three falling in United’s favour.
David Moyes has never won at Anfield in his managerial career, but a price of 10/1 says he’ll mark his first with a repeat of this scoreline from recent seasons.
In the past four seasons, this duo have churned out six games ending 2-1 in total and, in five of them, the score has been level at the break. If the correct score market doesn’t appeal, the half-time/full-time offerings of a draw at the interval and either team finding a winner in the second at 5/1 may prove an attractive alternative.
A bet with a far superior chance of copping, however, is the 8/13 that says both teams will locate the back of the net on Merseyside. It’s been the case in eight of the past nine renewals and, given Liverpool’s aforementioned defensive crisis, it’d come as something of a shock if United were nullified here.
It’s the visitors who stand a good chance of finishing the game with their sheet intact, but you have to look back to 2007 to find a Liverpool/Man United match at Anfield that the Reds have failed to score in.
All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date
