Manchester United defender Luke Shaw has warned his teammates that they must pass an ‘extremely tough’ Liverpool test this weekend when the two sides clash at Old Trafford. The England international believes that United will need to be at their very best if they are to beat Liverpool and keep their slim hopes of winning the Premier League title alive.
United currently sit second in the table, six points behind Manchester City with a game in hand. Liverpool, on the other hand, are in sixth place, but they are just four points behind Chelsea in fourth with a game in hand. Both teams will be desperate for a win on Sunday, but it is United who will be under more pressure as they try to keep pace with City.
Shaw knows how tough it is to play against Liverpool, having been on the losing side in each of the last two meetings between the two sides. He said, “Liverpool are always a tough team to play against, especially at Anfield. We know what they’re capable of and we’ve got to be ready for it. It’s going to be a very tough game, but we’ve got to go out there and try to get the win.”
United have been in good form in recent weeks, winning their last five league games to put themselves back in the title race. But Shaw knows that Liverpool will be a different proposition altogether, and they will need to step up their game if they are to get a positive result.
“They’re a strong team, and they’ve got a lot of quality all over the pitch,” Shaw said. “We know it’s going to be extremely tough, but we’ve got a good squad here, and we’ve been playing some good football lately. We’ve got to take that into the game and try to dictate the play as much as possible.”
Liverpool have struggled for consistency this season, with injuries to key players such as Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, and Joel Matip hampering their progress. But Shaw believes that they are still a dangerous team and will pose a threat to United on Sunday.
“They’ve had a few injuries, but they’ve still got some great players in their team,” he said. “We’ve got to be prepared for that and try to nullify their threats as much as possible. We know they’re going to be dangerous on the counter-attack, so we’ve got to be disciplined and not give them any opportunities.”
United will have home advantage on Sunday, but Shaw insists that they cannot rely on that alone to get the win. He said, “Playing at Old Trafford is always an advantage, but it’s not going to guarantee us the win. We’ve got to put on a performance and work hard for each other. If we do that, then hopefully we’ll come away with the three points.”
Despite being six points behind City, Shaw is still optimistic that United can catch their rivals and win the title. He said, “It’s still possible. We’ve got to believe that we can do it. We’ve got a great squad, and we’ve been playing some good football lately. We’ve just got to take it one game at a time and try to win every game we play.”
If United are to win the title, then they will need to perform well against the top teams, and Liverpool will be their toughest test yet. But Shaw believes that the squad is ready for the challenge and is confident that they can get the job done.
“We know what’s at stake, and we know how important this game is,” he said. “We’ve got to go out there and play with no fear, be confident in our ability, and work hard for each other. If we do that, then I’m sure we’ll come away with a positive result.”
In conclusion, Luke Shaw is right to say that Manchester United must pass an ‘extremely tough’ Liverpool test this weekend. Liverpool may be struggling for consistency this season, but they are still a dangerous team and will pose a threat to United on Sunday. United will need to be at their very best if they are to get a positive result, and if they can do that, then they could still be in with a chance of winning the Premier League title.