Frenzied talk of billionaires wanting — or, in the case of Elon Musk, not wanting — to buy ManchesterUnited has topped the sports agenda in Britain last week.
A future without the Glazer family as owners? Yes please, many increasingly disheartened United fans would say after nearly a decade of underperformance by one of the world’s most storied sports teams. And however unlikely that immediate prospect is — after all, the club is not for sale despite Jim Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s richest people, expressing an interest this week — it’s something many of those supporters will be calling for during an anti-Glazer march planned by a fans’ the group ahead of United’s game against Liverpool at Old Trafford on Monday.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said his side should be awarded three points if the game is called off.“I really hope it will not happen but if it does happen, I think we should get the points,” Klopp told reporters.
“We have nothing to do with the situation and if the supporters want the game not happening, then we can not just rearrange the game again and fit it in somewhere in an incredibly busy season.”
Mohamed Salah during a training session on Saturday Twitter
The last time such a protest took place before a home match against Liverpool, May last year, thousands filled the concourse outside OldTrafford, flares were set off, the stadium was stormed and one of world soccer’s biggest fixtures was called off.
For some, a repeat scenario would not be unwelcome. There cannot be many United fans looking forward to the prospect of Liverpool, the team’s fiercest rivals, coming to Old Trafford given what has transpired in the opening two rounds of the season.
In fact, it’s enough to fill them with dread. Two games. Two losses. Six goals conceded. Only one goal scored, and even that was an own goal.
If the 2-1 opening-weekend loss at home to Brighton was bad, the ensuing 4-0 thrashing by Brentford on Saturday was widely deemed to be one of the worst results in United’s recent history.
Hence, the inevitable hysteria. Is Erik ten Hag, who joined from Ajax in the off-season, the wrong appointment as manager? Is Lisandro Martinez the wrong signing at center back? Why hasn’t United signed a defensive midfielder yet? Is this the end for Cristiano Ronaldo at United?
Over the past week, a slew of players in a number of different positions have been linked with United in the final days of the transfer window, including holding mid-fielder Casemiro from Real Madrid and American winger Christian Pulisic from Chelsea.
Casemiro’s move looks likely to go through after he told Real Madrid he wants to leave, according to coach Carlo Ancelotti. Ronaldo has teased on Instagram about his future, saying the media has been “telling lies” and, rather cryptically, that “they know the truth when they interview in a couple weeks.”
Then there was the drama of Musk tweeting he was buying United before saying several hours later that it was a joke, and Ratcliffe emerging as a potential buyer if the club that the majority shareholder of chemical group Ineos has supported since childhood was put up for sale.
It’s rarely quiet around United, whether the team is doing well or badly.
And imagine if United are beaten again on Monday, to open a season with three straight defeats for the first time in the Premier League era (from 1992). How huge would the fourth game — against Southampton away — be for Ten Hag then?
Darwin Nunez after being red-carded against Crystal Palace on August 15
Van Dijk cautious
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk isn’t taking anything for granted, though, even if his team beat United 5-0 and 4-0 last season.
“They are a good team, in my opinion,” Van Dijk said.“They have good players all over the pitch. Obviously they’re not in the best situation, confidence-wise, probably, but it’s the perfect game to turn it around for them.”The same could be said for Liverpool, which has also underwhelmed so far withdraws against Fulham and crystal Palace and is already four points behind title rivals Manchester City.
Injuries are taking their toll, with players like Thia-go Alcantara, Joel Matip and Diogo Jota out, while the thrust and energy of the departed forward Sadio Mane is sorely missed.
The man who effectively replaced Mane, Darwin Nunez, is suspended for the United match after getting sent off for headbutting an opponent against Palace.
Liverpool keep getting off to slow starts, too, having conceded first in eight of its last nine matches in all competitions. If United were to win, suddenly a lot of the heat might switch to Klopp. On current form, though, that looks unlikely.
Stretching back to the end of last season, United are on a four-match losing run and their players are still getting used to Ten Hag’s methods.
Kick-off: 12. 30 am (Tuesday) IST; Live on StarSports