16 December 2023 , 13:09
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Liverpool have been urged to press high when Manchester United have a goal kick to force them into falling into the same traps Bournemouth set.
The Cherries thrashed United at Old Trafford last week, with the hosts having just three shots on target. That was despite Erik ten Hag 's side dominating with 69 percent of the possession, though they struggled to play around the visitors' high press.
The tactics that Andoni Iraola drew up to mastermind a win could now come in handy for Liverpool. The Reds host United on Sunday and former Arsenal star Martin Keown believes Jurgen Klopp should deploy exactly the same tactics as Iraola to secure a win.
"Jurgen Klopp’s high pressers will be itching to get at their visitors, having seen how they tried and failed to play out from the back against Bournemouth. Straight from kick-off, Bournemouth deliberately put the ball out of play for a United goal-kick to test their ability to play out," he told the Daily Mail.
"When Andre Onana was in possession, a predictable pattern emerged. Over and over, they fell into Bournemouth’s trap as the visitors blocked off the wide areas, forcing United to look through the middle.
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"Inevitably, the ball ended up going backwards from Amrabat to Onana, who was forced to launch it long. The nerves crept in and they conceded the opening goal after losing the ball by their own box."
HAVE YOUR SAY! What is your score prediction for Manchester United's clash with Bournemouth? Comment below.
Liverpool have been urged to copy Bournemouth's high pressing tactics (Danehouse Photography Ltd/Getty Images)Last season, Liverpool left United shellshocked by hammering them 7-0 at Anfield. But Reds boss Klopp does not believe that will be the result after Sunday's game, instead predicting a tougher challenge for his troops.
“The 7-0 we knew on the day was a freakish result that happens once in life pretty much. And if it helps anybody for the next game, it’s the team who lost 7-0 and not the team who won 7-0, that’s another thing," he said.
"If you take it all out of consideration then we just play a football game against the rival, the historical rival, of Liverpool FC, at home at Anfield. That itself must make it a special game and that’s what I want to see from us: a special game.
"Really understand the situation and give your all – that’s all I need. I knew at the beginning [of the season] we have a really good football team. We brought a really good few boys, and actually the boys who were here we all knew how good they can be.
"So that was obvious from pretty early. But what is that? Tell me one Premier League squad who is not good, that is just existing. Especially if you fight for the top four, they are all outstanding so that’s what you have to be.
“It’s still new but we know each other much better and the steps we make I like. Will they always be big enough? I don’t know yet, we have to see that. But so far I can see development, and that’s actually what I need to understand where it could end up."