Ian Ladyman has claimed Manchester United will beat Liverpool this weekend in their crunch FA Cup quarter-final clash at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Erik ten Hag’s side will welcome the joint Premier League ledaers to Old Trafford on Sunday in a titanic FA Cup quarter-final clash.
United could be buoyed by the return of Rasmus Hojlund, who has missed their previous three matches with a muscle injury.
Liverpool could also receive an injury boost for the match, with Jurgen Klopp hinting in the week that Mohamed Salah could start for the Reds, after he come off the bench in their huge clash against Man City last weekend.
Despite that, Chris Sutton and Ian Ladyman have given their predictions for Sunday’s huge rivalry on It’s All Kicking Off, with the latter insisting that Liverpool could have run out of steam.
Ian Ladyman (left) and Chris Sutton (right) have delivered their predictions for Man United’s clash against Liverpool on Sunday
Joint league leaders Liverpool will travel to Old Trafford to take on their rivals Man United
The Red Devils could be boosted by the return of their striker Rasmus Hojlund who has missed their last four matches with a muscle injury
‘Chris, it doesn’t get any easier for Liverpool,’ Ladyman said. ‘Manchester City in the Premier League last weekend, Manchester United away in the FA Cup this weekend.’
Sutton replied: ‘Well, I think it does get considerably easier for Liverpool, comparing Manchester United and Manchester City and making out that they’re of a similar standard. I don’t agree with that.
‘We know that there’s this great rivalry, but I suspect if Liverpool rock up and perform as they are capable of, I thought their second half performance at Anfield – we spoke about it on Monday – was pretty sensational.
‘If they’re anywhere near that level, then Manchester United are in big trouble.’
Liverpool produced an excellent display to come back to seal a draw against City at the weekend to keep themselves neck-and-neck with Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table on 64 points.
But as the title race heats up, with Liverpool second on goal difference, Ladyman delivered his view of Sunday’s match, claiming that Liverpool’s recent run of form, having been beaten once in their last 10 matches, may have caught up with them.
‘So two things here,’ Ladyman said. ‘First thing, there’s no such thing as a straightforward trip to Old Trafford for Liverpool.
‘Believe me, it’s never happened, it never will happen. They’ve [Liverpool] had some very good results there recently, we know, United are not a great side. But it’s Man United, it’s Old Trafford, it’s difficult, it’s emotional and Liverpool have been riding adrenaline and emotion recently.
Rasmus Hojlund could make his return from injury for Man United’s FA Cup clash against Liverpool this Sunday
Despite being sidelined with a muscle injury, Hojlund has scored seven goals in his last six Premier League appearances
‘I wonder how long they can keep it up. I’m gonna stick my neck out. I think they’ll lose on Sunday.’
The Reds host Sparta Prague on Thursday night in the Europa League and while they will want to ensure they secure their place in the semi-finals of the tournament, it is likely Jurgen Klopp could rest a few key stars, with his side holding a 5-1 aggregate score coming into the second leg.
Ladyman added: ‘I think United will find something on Sunday and I think Liverpool will lose. Although Liverpool have been helped or may have been helped a little bit by some Manchester United team news which appears to have been delivered by the Danish coach Kasper Hjulmand who was told the world that Rasmus Hojlund – Manchester United’s most likely source of goals who’s been injured – is fit and ready to play on Sunday.’
United received a massive injury boost earlier this week after Hjulmand revealed to Danish media that the striker would be fit and ready to play against Liverpool, after having been ruled out of United’s last four matches with a muscle injury.
Ladyman implied that Erik ten Hag would be enraged by the Danish coach’s comments
Liverpool kept themselves neck-and-neck with Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table after drawing 1-1 to Man City at the weekend
He had reportedly said: ‘Rasmus will play on Sunday against Liverpool and must go through the match well. That’s what we expect. We are in contact with United. I have talked to Erik and we expect it to happen.’
But Ladyman admitted that the Man United boss would have been infuriated by the reports, claiming: ‘I mean, Eric ten Hag will be absolutely livid about this, if it’s true. It’s that bit at the end where he says, I’ve talked to Eric. In other words, “I’ve had it from the horse’s mouth. He’s playing.”‘
Sutton replied: ‘Yeah, that’s slightly odd. I mean, Liverpool would have had a fair idea, I suspect, and planned for him to play anyway. I think it makes a massive difference to Manchester United, but nothing like a private conversation getting out in the open. I suspect Ten Hag will be a bit peeved.’
‘Peeved?’ Ladyman hit back. ‘Mate, he will be off the scale. He’ll be off the scale pissed off about this. Yes, of course he will. That’s extraordinary behavior from an international manager. Imagine if Alex Ferguson still been manager of Manchester United or Jose Mourinho.’
‘Yeah, look, I understand all that, but we knew Hojlund was close,’ the former Aston Villa striker said. ‘I mean, it’s not like nobody thought this wouldn’t happen. And he just let the cat out of the bag a bit early.’
Ladyman replied: ‘Yeah, about four days early, to be precise. So look, I do think United can beat them and I have an inkling that United will beat them.’
Ladyman added though that ‘something’s got to give for Liverpool’ and that United ‘occasionally do have a performance in them’
But Sutton was keen to hear his co-hosts reasoning, asking the Mail Sport reporter: ‘Based on what though? Because you are, this is a numbers game with you, isn’t it?
‘And based on recent performances, based on the performance against Everton, based on the performance against Fulham, tell us why? If Liverpool rock up and Manchester United rock up.’
‘Based on two things. Firstly, something I’ve said to you many times on this podcast during this season is that Manchester United occasionally do have a performance in them.
‘They do. And secondly, I just think something’s got to give with Liverpool. I think something’s got to give. They’ve been going game to game to game, big performance, big performance, with under-strength teams, with kids in the team, with kids coming off the bench. I just think something’s got to give. And I think this will be a step to far for them.
‘If it is, by the way, on a wider picture, can the FA Cup save Eric ten Hag? And I say that because normally you would think FA Cup, big trophy, good way to end the season if they could win it, especially if they have to beat Liverpool on the way. But history shows Louis van Gaal won the FA Cup for Manchester United and was sacked the very next day.
Ladyman claimed that Sunday’s game ‘might be a step too far for Jurgen Klopp’s side’
Sutton added though he thought United had been ‘spawny so far this season’ with results
‘Back in the day when you and I were both in short trousers, Tommy Docherty won the FA Cup with a victory against Liverpool in 1977 and was sacked the next month. Can the FA Cup save Eric ten Hag?
‘No, I don’t think it can,’ Sutton replied. ‘I mean, it may give him a small chance, but you can’t base from what we’ve seen this season. You can’t say that Manchester United have progressed. And it’s as simple as that.
‘Look at the season as a whole, performance levels. I think they’ve been lucky the number of points they’ve got. Go back to the game against Everton at the weekend. I thought they were fortunate.
‘They’ve been spawny, Manchester United, on numerous occasions this season. So while it may give him a small chance, but I don’t think anything can save Eric ten Hag.’
