Aaron Ramsdale, the Sheffield United goalkeeper, is MOTM after 45 minutes. He has been busy, and has not put a foot, or indeed a hand, wrong so far. Liverpool have played some nice enough stuff, and Firmino really should have put away that one-on-one opportunity. Liverpool’s transfer deadline day signing Ozan Kabak put through his own net, only to be greatly relieved to see the flag go up for offside against McBurnie. It’s been lively enough, with both teams going for it, and I’ll be back for more in a few minutes. See you soon.
43 min: Another Sheffield United set-piece delivery causes a certain amount of confusion in the Liverpool area. McGoldrick fashions a header goalwards, but the visitors get rid of it. Liverpool have had the best chances but they don’t look overly secure at the back, as was widely expected.
39 min: Georginio Wijnaldum hammers a shot goalwards, advancing forward for the first time, and Ramsdale saves superbly! The ball then breaks to Firmino, who has a good opportunity to score albeit from an angle, but he tries to square it for Mané instead, but it’s a poor option. Ampadu is in position and able to intercept and clear.
36 min: Whoops! A hopeful ball is hooked into the Liverpool area from the left. McBurnie tries to run on to it, but he is just offside. Kabak doesn’t know that, and runs back to try and deal with it. He succeeds only in deflecting the ball past his own goalie and into the net. The score stays at 0-0, as McBurnie was inches offside, but that could have been embarrassing. Seconds later and it’s McGoldrick’s turn to be caught just offside.
McBurnie’s goal is disallowed. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters
31 min: Liverpool are getting closer and closer. Mané makes a nuisance of himself again on the edge of the box - the Blades win it back, but then only half-clear it to Alexander-Arnold lurking on the right. He cuts smartly inside his marker Enda Stevens, and cracks a powerful shot which is flying into the top corner - until Ramsdale sticks out a strong hand and deflects it over. Is the keeper going to have one of those nights? Are Liverpool, come to that?
29 min: Liverpool attack again. Salah finds a route through on the right. Jagielka covers, but can’t stop Salah escaping to hit a side-footed shot from close range, but Ramsdale (yet again) is lively and alert and lunges off his line to make a save.
Ramsdale saves a shot by Salah. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/AP
24 min: Thiago fouls McBurnie, and Sheffield United have a free-kick in a handy spot. It’s taken by Fleck, but no one can get on the end of it, and Mané manages to run it the ball out of defence from deep in the corner. Liverpool stream forward on the counterattack, and when a searching ball is sent into the Sheffield United area, it’s Fleck who has managed to sprint back to provide defensive cover, and pulls off an acrobatic clearance. McBurnie then has a half-chance at the other end, but his shot is blocked.
22 min: Salah, near the right corner flag as Liverpool attack, feeds Alexander-Arnold who bends a brilliant first-time cross deep to the far post. Curtis Jones tries to get on the end of it, and just about does, but he can’t quite control it and Ramsdale rushes off his line again to intercept.
19 min: Mané digs out a good diagonal pass from a central position, looking for the bending run of Firmino, but Ramsdale is alive to the danger and comes to smother the ball. Defences on top so far, aside from that one missed opportunity by Firmino.
17 min: Now Sheffield United have a go, and McBurnie tees up McGoldrick for a deflected shot, which Adrián rather unconvincingly beats out for a corner.
15 min: Mané makes a dart on the left as Liverpool keep possession near the Sheffield United penalty area. His pass out wide for Robertson is overhit, but Robertson manages to win a corner, which comes to nothing.
10 min: Firmino nearly puts Liverpool ahead! A yawning gap opens up in the middle of the Blades’ defence after Mané and Ampadu challenge for a bouncing ball. Firmino bursts through, one on one, and advances into the area, but Ramsdale comes to meet him and spreads himself well, getting down low to save the shot. Firmino should, in truth, have buried that.
Firmino runs with the ball. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/AP
7 min: Liverpool’s Andy Robertson goes haring down the left, chasing a long ball, and Sheffield United almost get in a terrible mess with Ramsdale coming out of his area to try and tidy it up and almost tackling his own teammate. The danger passes, though, as Ramsdale manages to clear.
5 min: Phillips gives away a free-kick this time, needlessly challenging McGoldrick from behind. It’s a set-piece for the hosts in a dangerous area. Sheffield United’s Oliver Norwood swings the free-kick in ... and McGoldrick forces a save by Adrián with a header at the far post! He may have been just offside anyway, but a bright start for the Blades.
3 min: Both teams are feeling their way into the match. Nat Phillips wins a free-kick while going for a clearing header. Liverpool have possession, and Trent Alexander-Arnold sprays a glrorious crossfield pass from right to left. But no clear chance to speak of for either team - yet.
David McGoldrick shoots at goal. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters
Let battle commence.
Tonight’s Liverpool keeper, Adrián, has conceded 10 goals in his two Premier League games this season. Which will give Wilder’s men some hope - added to the much-mentioned stat about all the different centre-back pairings that Klopp has used, 18 in all competitions.
Kick-off is a mere five minutes away.
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Jürgen Klopp is asked about the centre-half pairing: “We have to change the game plan, because it’s a different team ... we had four sessions to train on all the things we think is necessary ... it must be enough ... First and foremost we have to defend ... McBurnie and McGoldrick are both physical, strong players. It is always tough against Sheffield United.”
Chris Wilder speaks: “It’s a huge challenge ahead of us [against Liverpool], but one we’re looking forward to and enjoying ... the team has had the right attitude, all the way through ... even the most optimistic of Sheffield United fans will say it’s going to be a huge challenge to get the results [to stay up]. For me, individual, team, club pride is always at stake.”
Thanks for all your emails.
“Liverpool have got to change this wingbacks with rocket-packs, diagonal zingers into the box thing they do,” writes Simon. “It’s read by everyone and only works if mischief is created. The attackers don’t seem to latch on to these balls with great regularity anymore, or worse, other teams deal with it. Liverpool’s issue is attacking creativity rather than defensive despair.”
“Although they’re not exactly world beaters, McBurnie and McGoldrick will relish facing Liverpool’s novice centre backs,” chips in Michael (already watching from behind the sofa). “I fear a red card for Kabak in a 2-1 win for the Blades...so it might have to be a case of ‘we’re gonna score one more than you’ for Liverpool today so Mané etc. will need to have packed their shooting boots to contribute alongside Salah.”
“I’m tired of the comments and stories of Liverpool and injuries,” laments Ben. “There is no doubt they have missed important players but if you believe they have been unlucky this season then you have to admit that they were incredibly lucky last season with the lack of injuries. They used fewer players than any other team. So many ‘experts’ have spoken about the number of centre-back pairings they have used this season but the stat is irrelevant unless you talk about the other teams also. Example; I believe Arsenal started the season with 8 CBs on the books, how many pairings have they used?”
If you missed Keane v Redknapp on Spurs earlier, check it out, it was brilliant:
Sky Sports News(@SkySportsNews)
Roy Keane v Jamie Redknapp 🍿
Things have got heated already on Super Sunday as the pair argue over Tottenham's form and hopes going forward.
Two changes for the hosts, with Oliver Norwood and David McGoldrick coming back into the team. Liverpool’s first-choice goalie, Alisson, is absent following the death of his father. Adrián starts in goal, with Nat Phillips and Ozan Kabak forming the central defensive partnership, and a front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané.
Chelsea and Manchester United have just finished playing out a Stamford Bridge stalemate:
Sad news to begin this evening: the former West Ham manager and England coach, Glenn Roeder, has died aged 65:
Jürgen Klopp has something of a knack for memorable quotes. “Confidence is a small flower and obviously someone has stamped on it,” the Liverpool manager reflected following last month’s home defeat by Burnley. Even in a worst-case scenario, Klopp would not have envisaged that loss against Burnley beginning a sequence of four consecutive home defeats: Brighton, Manchester City and Everton, most painfully from Liverpool’s point of view, have all stormed the Anfield fortress since. If heavy-metal football is what Liverpool play, to borrow another famous Kloppism, they are currently enduring their Some Kind of Monster phase. Their best result of late came on the road, a 2-0 Champions League win against RB Leipzig, so perhaps a trip to rock-bottom Sheffield United is just what they need in order to plant the seeds of a spring revival.
As for Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United, it’s hard to remember a time they were last in full bloom, even if they have improved after a relentlessly miserable run before Christmas. The Premier League’s 20th-placed team have notched up just 11 points and currently sit 12 adrift of 18th-placed Fulham. But this evening’s assignment against the champions does not look nearly as intimidating as it would have done just a few months ago. Team news, pre-match reading and more coming up.
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