The Premier League gets back underway this weekend following a short international break, with the pick of the games this weekend being the biggest game in English football- Manchester United vs Liverpool. Manchester United will be looking to put a dent in Liverpools title hopes while trying to put their season back on the rails, while Liverpool are looking to break the record for the most consecutive wins in the Premier League at eighteen. With two teams in such contrasting positions, it is bound to be an interesting tactical affair. In this tactical analysis, Ill look at how both teams are likely to set up, how both teams can hurt each other, and how the game is likely to look.
Manchester Uniteds gameplan
In terms of tactics, I am expecting a pretty similar game this time round as we saw in February, particularly with Uniteds confidence so low at the minute. Id expect Liverpool to have the majority of possession, with United looking to reduce Liverpools space as much as possible and then look to counter.
So how can United limit Liverpools space?
They did a pretty good job of this last time out in the goalless draw last February, but a fairly poor offensive performance from Liverpool certainly benefitted them. United lined up in a 4-3-1-2 shape and used a particularly effective tactic to hinder Liverpools build-up
This shape revolved around limiting Mohamed Salah and Sadio Manés use of the half-spaces, while also looking to prevent giving the full-backs too much space down the outside. We can see this shape below, where United end up in a flat line of almost six players, in order to compact that half-space as much as possible. Therefore when Salah receives the ball, the three players around him can get tight and prevent the ball from being played.
We can see the same shape again, immediately after the ball has been recycled centrally from a wide area. United have that same almost flat back six, which offers lots of defensive coverage and width, but not much depth, meaning Joël Matip can make an excellent run through the central area relatively unscathed before being fouled on the edge of the box.
Manchester United didnt allow themselves to be th
