Premier League preview: Sunday’s action including Liverpool vs Man Utd
Nottingham Forest vs Everton
Two sides coming off 4-0 defeats face one another at the City Ground on Sunday. So which team is likelier to shake off the dismal dregs of defeat with a winning performance?
Forest took a beating away to West Ham a week ago, but at home Steve Cooper’s side are unbeaten in seven league games.
Last time out on home turf, Forest scored a late goal against Man City to take a point against the current Premier League champions. The Nottingham side have also held Chelsea (for what that’s worth) and beat Liverpool (ditto) in this campaign.
Can Sean Dyche do what Pep, Klopp and Potter failed to, turning over the Tricky Trees on their manor?
Forest are unlikely to run riot
That might be ambitious, but this is the kind of game where Dyche’s side at least have a ghost of a chance; the Toffees were trounced by Arsenal midweek, but Forest are unlikely to run riot in similar fashion.
Cooper’s side have scored more than a single goal in just four of their 24 league games this season. And in their last six games in all competitions, Forest have mustered a total of two goals.
The Midlands’ side are currently 13th in the Prem, but are only four points clear of their opponents. With Dyche presumably focusing on delivering a rare clean sheet if at all possible, don’t rule out Everton getting something from this encounter. Even if the visitors are finding it even more difficult to score than the hosts.
Forest have scored 18 goals this season; Everton have 17. The visitors are likely to be without the injured Dominic Calvert-Lewin, too. This one could end up with both sides having to settle for the draw, which is a 41/20 shot; the 0-0 outcome isn’t out of the question either, and is available at 6/1.
Liverpool vs Man Utd
Clearly, the current campaign isn’t a vintage one for Liverpool; conversely, Man United appear to be going places under Erik ten Hag. Even if Robbie Savage’s breathless assertion the Dutchman is the best manager in world football is possibly a little premature.
Certainly, United are enjoying life again, having won the League Cup last weekend. The Manchester side are third in the Prem too, well placed for Champions League football again.
But of course, a visit to Anfield remains an occasion to be wary of. Liverpool won this fixture 4-0 last season, having spanked United 5-0 at Old Trafford earlier in that campaign.
Neither team are in a remotely similar place right now. Liverpool should (surely?) be ready to put in a good shift, but that may not be enough against a Man Utd side brimming with self-belief.
Even Jurgen Klopp is praising Rashford
In Marcus Rashford, Ten Hag has one of the comeback stories of the season; even Jurgen Klopp is powerless to avoid complimenting the striker, telling reporters on Friday: “he is playing incredible”.
And in Carlos Casemiro, United have one of the better signings of the season. Like a modern-day Jack Regan, Casemiro hasn’t had any dinner – and he’s hungry. Will Liverpool offer plenty for the former Real man to get stuck into? Could be…
It may be Rashford who takes centre stage, though. The 25-year-old has scored seven goals in his last eight appearances, including a goal at the League Cup Final last week (it was initially given as an own goal before later being attributed to the striker). He seems the likeliest man to find the net for the visitors on Sunday.
Rashford is 17/10 to score, with Man Utd 7/4 to win; or you could combine the two in a double at 18/5…
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