I think if United don’t concede in the first 20 or 30 minutes then they can go on and win this match. Most of the pressure is on Liverpool – Sadio Mané is out, they’ve only won one match in seven, the players will be expected to perform in front of their own crowd. United have to take advantage of the opportunity they’ve been given.
To go to Anfield and park the bus could play quite well. United have a lot of pace in the team, with Marcus Rashford, Romelu Lukaku and Anthony Martial. A counterattacking style can work for you. But I would have a concern that you’d also be bringing Liverpool on to you and I think that’s what they’re good at, pressing the ball.
So it’s important to get the balance right and that’s why Lukaku is a big player in the game for us. You’ve got to try to put Liverpool on the back foot and if we can play the ball up to Lukaku and get in behind, then we’re up the park and away from our own box. It’s then about Lukaku’s movement splitting the Liverpool defence. People have questioned his work rate but since he’s been at United the one thing I’ve seen him do is work really hard for the team. He seems to want to encourage players around him and he’s had a real go for United since he’s been here.
Get the win at Anfield and it would be a marker. I know it’s really early in the season but because of the gap United and City have opened up on Liverpool already, if United were to go there and win it would be a real tough task for Liverpool to come back and win the title. That said, if Liverpool win the game they’re right back in it themselves.
You can see the United fans are pleased with the way the results are going, the attacking football that we’re playing and I think United look the real deal this season. City are really strong, I’d never write Chelsea off at this stage of the season and Spurs are a good young team, though I’d question if the squad is good enough to cope if they get a few injuries. It’s going to be tough but United are in it with a realistic chance of winning the title.
I think José has come out and said this is just another game. To a certain degree it is because you can only win three points. But for the fans it’s still Liverpool they want to beat. Let’s see if they can do it.
Bryan Robson was speaking at Columbia Sportswear’s ‘United Against The Elements’ campaign launch.