'Do we have to go?' – Gary Neville's fear of Anfield says it all as damning Man United statistic emerges
Manchester United's tough run of fixtures continues this weekend as they travel to take on table leaders Liverpool.
As the clock ticks down to this monumental clash, a disturbing statistic emerges.
The Red Devils have not found the back of the net at Anfield since that disheartening 3-1 defeat in December 2018.
Their last victory at Anfield was nine years ago, in January 2016, when Wayne Rooney scored the only goal of the game.
Here, speakSPORT.com analyzes Man United's chances ahead of Anfield.
Manchester United fans are worried
Good, Gary Neville It certainly is and the Old Trafford legend shared his fear for his former club after United lost 2-0 at home to Newcastle on Monday night.
This was his fourth consecutive loss under the new coach. Ruben Amorim which arrived in November 2024.
“Do we have to go to Anfield on Sunday?” he joked.
He then laughed at a possible excuse his former team could make for not playing. “Do you remember the old days when Sunday League teams wouldn't show up because they said traffic was bad or some players weren't feeling well?
“Obviously, joking aside, I have no idea how they will approach this game on Sunday. manchester united This meeting has been very complicated in recent years.
“7-0, I was there watching it until the end, as were a lot of Manchester United fans.
“You're not necessarily afraid of it, but you wonder what Ruben Amorim can do?
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“He can point out the city of manchester performance, but I really don't know.”
How have other teams fared?
Going to Anfield is difficult enough these days as Manchester City are struggling there after suffering a 2-0 defeat at the start of December.
Liverpool he scored 18 shots on goal, while City's poor run continued with just eight shots on goal.
Mohamed Salah played 84 minutes that game and scored a goal, provided an assist and had three shots on goal in total.
If it is against the former Premier League champions, who have won six times under the current manager pep guardiolaso it's understandable why Neville and United fans would be worried.
They will hope that the Egyptian king has a rare day off.
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Amorim faces a headache in the starting eleven
Neville also highlighted how two attackers were not used against Newcastle and urged Amorim to bring them back to help damage Arne Slot's high-flying Reds.
“Some players may come back,” he said.
“Alejandro Garnacho and Mark Rashford They haven't shown the application in training… but they are better than the players currently on the field.
“They have legs and if Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold faced Zirkzee or Bruno Fernandes in wide areas, they would probably prefer him to Garnacho and Rashford.
“It will be difficult for Amorim because he wants to establish a new culture and a standard in the locker room about what is right.
“He hasn't liked some of the things he's seen in the last month, but right now it's necessary and desperate.”
Will Marcus Rashford appear?
Rashford has struggled this season, with just four goals, one assist and twelve starts this season.
Slow numbers compared to his 17 goals in 35 games in the 2022/23 campaign.
His problems continue off the field too, with the Man United striker facing an uncertain future at Old Trafford.
Last month he revealed he is “ready for a new challenge”, probably outside of United.
talkSPORT understands the club are open to offers regarding Rashford, and club bosses feel parting ways is the best solution for all parties.
TO meeting with Scott McTominay He is rumored to play in Italy.
Ruben Amorim had left the 27-year-old out of the squad for four consecutive matches before being called to the bench in the recent 2-0 defeat against Newcastle.
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Rashford started for Man United the last time they faced Liverpool on September 1, 2024.
The match was a masterclass from Liverpool, with the away team winning 3-0 at Old Trafford.
With this in mind and all the outside noise surrounding Rashford, Amorim may decide to leave him out of such an important match.
What about Rubén Amorim?
Last week the manager admitted his position at the Theater of Dreams is far from secure after a difficult start in England.
The 39-year-old has so far struggled to replicate his success at Old Trafford at Sporting Lisbon, where he won two league titles.
As people say, the Premier League is one of the most difficult leagues in the world, and Amorim admitted that the weight of the task ahead is not lost on him.
“I know the business I'm in,” he said. “The Manchester United manager can never be comfortable, no matter what happens.
“I know that if we don't win, regardless of whether they pay the buyout or not, I know that all the coaches are in danger. I like that because that's the job, so I understand the question.
“You can argue that I've been here a month and I've had four training (sessions), but we're not winning. That's the reality and I'm pretty comfortable with that.”
Rubén Amorim's statistics as Man United coach
- Days in charge – 53
- Games played – 11
- Victories – 4
- Losses – 6
- Ties – 1
Neville also spoke about Amorim's position: “United are only seven points clear of the relegation zone.
“They play Liverpool and then Arsenal, so it's a really difficult time.
“He is a young manager who has arrived and needs time to adapt, but when the results are so bad, the pressure increases and Anfield is an unforgiving place to go.
“It's the worst place at the best of times. The way they meet is out of this world. “I'm a little scared for Sunday.”
Man United's fate on Sunday is completely in their hands and, as Neville perfectly put it, “Anfield is an unforgiving place to go”; they may be begging the fans for forgiveness at Sunday tea time.
Prediction
talkSPORT's Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent discussed Man United's drop to 14th in the league ahead of their clash with Liverpool.
Goldstein, a Man United fan, acknowledged that Liverpool are the best team in the country at the moment.
“This is at Anfield. Not long ago we lost 7-0, I don't want to sound pessimistic.”
