Manchester United may have lost their opening two Premier League games by a combined scoreline of 6-1 to Brighton and Brentwood, but Liverpool\u2019s ever-foxy manager Jurgen Klopp knows better than to take the Red Devils dismal form for granted.<\/p>\n
Although the old adage dictates that form goes out of the window on derby day, this still invariably applies to both sides and Klopp has suggested that the nebulous start to the season Manchester United\u00a0have had could actually favor the Red Devils as Klopp\u2019s stuttering Liverpool side plays host on Monday night.<\/p>\n
Not that Liverpool themselves had begun this season\u2019s campaign in their dominant style of recent years, otherwise the Anfield faithful would no doubt be grinning with delight at the misfortune of their chief foe. As it stands, the Reds have nothing to sing about the way their first two fixtures played out.<\/p>\n
The German\u2019s side had to prevail from behind twice just to salvage a 2-2 draw against Fulham\u00a0before being greeted with another stalemate on Monday night with 10 men against Crystal Palace. So, in a somewhat odd development few would have predicted on the eve of the brand new season, the two most successful teams in the grand history of English football will battle it out at Old Trafford on Monday with both win-less from a combined four outings.<\/p>\n
Liverpool are understandably the favorites for the North-West derby as their underwhelming start is hardly comparable to the catastrophe which has befallen the Red Devils. Despite that forecast, Klopp \u2013 the seasoned campaigner in the Premier League that he undoubtedly is \u2013 is prudent enough to know “United away will never be easy”.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the German feels that his rivals’ dire form and condition may actually work in their own favor to give the Red Devils the motivation they badly need to return to winning ways on derby day.<\/p>\n
“United can change nothing or everything, so it is tricky preparation wise, but it’s early and we don’t have a lot of info anyway,” Klopp said in his press conference on Friday.<\/p>\n
“It’s tough but it’s fine. United away will never be easy. I would prefer to play them after they won 5-0, that’s how it is. We drew twice, so is it better to play us? I don’t know. We have to deal with all the situations. The whole world will watch it, let’s see how these heavyweights deal with the situation.”<\/p>\n
The two Premier League traditional “heavyweights” involved in Monday’s clash are assuredly not at the peak of their powers as the new season continues to kick off. One is a tad wobbly and the other is still licking its self-inflicted wounds.<\/p>\n
On paper, Liverpool certainly have the advantage but Klopp is wary of what United are capable of when they are backed into a corner. It is also not the time to be complacent as his Reds need to dig in for their first victory of the season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"