Harry Maguire is confirmed by Solskjaer to be the new Club Captain after the proposed departure of Ashley Young to Inter Milan. Ashley has been a model professional, played at number of different positions admirably and given his best. It's unusual for a Captain to leave mid-season but fair play to Solskjaer to reduce the average age of the squad with Williams and Shaw ready to share the burden. Manchester United have had a history of great Captains from WW2 in Johnny Carey, to Roger Byrne, Noel Cantwell, Martin Buchan, Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney. Jose Mourinho destroyed his lineage by making his Captain be a bench warmer in Rooney, Carrick and Valencia who could not even speak English properly. Solskjaer is resetting another flaw to properly reflect the clubs DNA. Not a fan of Sir Bobby Charlton as a Captain especially during the post Busby years.
Rashford, Martial and Greenwood have scored 26 league goals this season just two shy of the famed LFC trio of Salah, Firmino and Mane! This without a decent midfield to create quality passes and Pogba being injured for most of the season. Solskjaer being a striker himself must be filled with pride of his young strike force.
MUFC are the only team to have taken points off runaway league leaders LFC back in Oct with a 1-1 draw. Last seasons below par performance triggered MUFC board to sack Mourinho else the record at Anfield has spread out evenly in three's for loss, draws and wins from last nine fixtures there. Form goes out of the window in the biggest derby of English Football League like LFC's defensive solidity and MUFC's lack of goals away from home both of which point to only one result. Without the industrious McTominay and replaced by slow Matic the task will only become onerous. Rashford remains a doubt after his cameo lifted the spirits to have the only goal scored by Mata from a Martial pass in the FA Cup 3rd round replay against Wolves and was injured soon after for a sub to be substituted. Greenwood is still too young to command a regular starting berth.
Before the reverse fixture MUFC chief executive stepped in to speak in favour of Solskjaer and now has reportedly kept Bruno Fernandes on standby. Not getting the player which the club targeted in time for their biggest match of the season is not following Ferguson's template. This away match is the ultimate yardstick to measure the individuals in the squad and how well they combine to thwart the opposition. In the 80's when MUFC went eight games unbeaten including Ferguson's first match while LFC lifted trophies the present form is representative of the gulf in class between the two sides. With Chelsea losing yesterday United have the opportunity to reduce the gap to two points from the fourth spot. Maguire can seal the unlikely result by opening his goal tally for his new club to claim a legendary status.
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