Manchester United v Liverpool: well-drilled Reds to cause United problems

Manchester United and Liverpool get their pre-season preparations underway in earnest in Bangkok on Tuesday, with one of the Premier League’s biggest rivalries taking centre stage in what is the biggest friendly so far this summer.

The match is also the first of new Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag, who does not have his problems to seek after only a few weeks in the Old Trafford hotseat. To that end, this is a baptism of fire. Liverpool start as 1.78 favourites to get the win, with Man Utd priced at 3.7. A draw is on offer at 3.8.

Ten Hag’s tough start

Ten Hag’s Man Utd might not yet have kicked a ball, but it has clearly not been a dream start for the Dutchman. So far, his side have only managed to get one signing over the line – young left-back Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord – while they are apparently in a dispute with Cristiano Ronaldo, who has not travelled to Thailand with the squad.

The overhaul of personnel might not have yet taken place at Old Trafford, but this is the start of the facelift in terms of style. Ten Hag is expected to imprint his strong philosophy on the side. Expect them to press higher defensively and seek to retain more of the ball.

Of course, Liverpool are a side expert at countering this style, so this promises to be a tough start in sweltering conditions.

Liverpool have an excellent record in friendlies

Looking for more of the same

Liverpool, meanwhile, offer a settled squad that is bolstered by new signing Darwin Nunez. Although they travel with a strong 37-man panel, it is worth bearing in mind that Alisson, Fabinho and Kostas Tsimikas have not started pre-season training yet, while Mohamed Salah is also well behind his team-mates. How much of a role these players will have in this game is questionable.

Where the Reds do benefit, however, is from a settled philosophy. Each player in their ranks is well drilled in exactly what Jurgen Klopp expects of them, while the German’s relentless mindset has them geared up for winning every match.

Liverpool have lost just one of their last 14 friendly matches, going back to July 2019. They have only played one Premier League opponent in that time – beating Aston Villa 4-1 in their final friendly last season.

Liverpool to prove too strong

The nature of friendlies makes them unpredictable, but Liverpool have the edge going into this match. Man Utd are seeking to totally change their style and are starting from a weaker position in any case. They have lost their last three matches against the Reds by an aggregate score of 13-2. It will be another difficult evening. Man Utd’s focus in pre-season has been on technique and tactics as opposed to fitness, which could be telling in tough conditions.

Expect Liverpool to continue this dominance, but it would be surprising if they ran out big winners in a friendly game in which fitness is the goal. Conversely, it would be another blow to United if they were to lose heavily, so look for them to avoid such an eventuality.

Recommended bet

Liverpool & Over 2.5 @ 2.7