Man Utd vs Liverpool LIVE: Team news, protest updates and Erik ten Hag interview ahead of Premier League clash

08/22/2022

Will Maguire start?

Rumours abound about Manchester United’s captain Harry Maguire, who has faced waves of criticism – of which only some is constructive – during the last couple of years with many fans considering him to be the face of the Red Devils’ decline on the pitch.

Even today, Maguire’s name is trending on Twitter five hours or so before kick off due to whispers that Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane have been seen training as a centre-back partnership ahead of tonight’s fixture with Liverpool.

Fans have been calling for Maguire to be dropped for a while but will Erik ten Hag leave his captain on the bench against one of United’s biggest rivals?

Early team news for Manchester United

Anthony Martial has returned to training for the Red Devils after missing their opening two games of the season due to a hamstring injury and could provide a much needed boost to Man Utd’s attacking capabilities.

But, Victor Lindelof and Facundo Pellistri are definitely out of Monday’s match.

“Victor has not returned to the training pitch but the good news is that Anthony Martial is back in training with the team,” said Erik ten Hag on Friday.

United also announced an agreement to sign midfielder Casemiro from Real Madrid but he will not be eligible to face Liverpool tonight.

Firmino could return for Liverpool

Liverpool are set to bring Roberto Firmino back into the squad for tonight’s game amid growing concern over the number of injuries they have to their first team.

Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara, Ibrahima Konate, Curtis Jones, Diogo Jota, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Calvin Ramsay and Caoimhin Kelleher are all absent through various knocks illnesses leaving Jurgen Klopp to rely on youngsters like Harvey Elliott and experienced heads like James Milner.

Klopp also announced that Naby Keita is fit again anf ready to go saying: “Bobby [Firmino] trained completely normal, is ready. Naby was ill for a week, last game on the bench, is fully in training, looks really good. All fine.”

Manchester United bottom of the Premier League for the first time in 30 years

Manchester United ended a Saturday at the bottom of the Premier League for the first time since August 1992 when they lost to Brentford over a week ago.

This is the first season since the inaugural Premier League campaign in which a United team has lost their opening two fixtures.

On that occasion, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side lost 2-1 at Sheffield United on the opening day – with Brian Deane scoring the competition’s first-ever goal – and followed that up with a 3-0 home defeat to Everton.

Manchester United bottom of the Premier League for the first time in 30 years

Erik ten Hag’s side were thrashed by Brentford having already lost their opening fixture to Brighton

Ten Hag facing unwanted United record

Manchester United boss, Erik ten Hag, is hoping to avoid becoming just the second United manager to lose each of his first three games in charge of the club in all competitions, after John Chapman in 1921.

It’s an unwanted milestone to hit but the Dutchman will be seeking to avoid it when his team face Liverpool this evening. The Red Devils have lost both of their opening fixtures and Ten Hag will be opening up to Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher before tonight’s match kicks off.

He’ll be speaking to the former players and current Sky Sports pundits about how he’s finding life in the Premier League and how he sees the campaign unfolding this year.

United cancel pre-match meeting

Manchester United have cancelled a planned pre-match meeting at The Lowry Hotel in Salford on Monday afternoon at short notice due to security fears.

United are scheduled to kick off against Liverpool at 8pm on Monday night against the nervous backdrop of another huge supporter-led protest against the Glazer family’s ownership of the club.

Erik ten Hag and his players were scheduled to rendezvous at the Lowry, but United are understood to have scrapped the plans at around 1pm, with a small amount of fans already outside the hotel in preparation to protest.

A source said United security staff are expecting the protest to be ‘a big one’.

The United manager and his squad could instead meet at Old Trafford, as they did before the 2pm kick-off against Brighton on the opening weekend of the season.

A behind-closed-doors game against Liverpool in May 2021 had to be postponed after fans broke into Old Trafford during a protest against the Glazers whilst others situated themselves outside the hotel the players were staying at—the Lowry—forming a barricade between team buses and chanting “we decide when you will play”.

Manchester United Supporters Trust issue statement about the Glazers

Whilst The 1958 fan group is calling for protests against the Glazers, the official Manchester United Supporters Trust has separately branded the American family’s ownership as a “fish that rots from the head”.

A large number of supporters have been unhappy with the Glazers they bought United in 2005 via a leveraged buyout that loaded a huge debt onto the club which beforehand had been run relatively debt free. 17 years later and United’s debt stands at roughly £500m. The Glazers also take out bi-annual dividends effectively paying themselves with the clubs funds in what is another contentious issue for the fan groups.

The defeat to Brentford moved the Manchester United Supporters Trust to release a statement that was particularly strong given it is in negotiations with the club regarding a fan-share policy that is expected to be passed following a ballot last week.

The statement reads: “As we’ve always said, a fish rots from the head. And the ultimate responsibility for the terrible state of our football club must lie with its owners, the Glazer family. It is now for them and their management team to explain to United fans just why we are in this state, and what they are going to do about it. We’ve had some difficult times in the last decade, but this really does feel like rock bottom.

“We’re being asked a lot about protests at upcoming games (including Liverpool) and as we have always said we will publicise any credible, lawful and peaceful protest so that our members have the information and can make their own decision as to whether they wish to take part.

“We will announce the ballot result in the coming days and expand the consultation to ensure no fan is excluded from giving their view.”

Liverpool deserve points if Manchester United fans force postponement says Klopp

Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool should be awarded the three points if Manchester United fans’ protests cause Monday’s match at Old Trafford to be abandoned or postponed.

The 1958, a United supporters’ group, are organising a protest against the Glazer family, saying they want “to show the world our deep discontent with this vile ownership.”

Liverpool’s visit to Old Trafford in May 2021, a match which was due to be played behind closed doors during lockdown, was called off because fans broke into the ground during a demonstration against the Glazers.

Klopp’s side won the rearranged fixture 4-2 but the Liverpool manager feels if there is a repeat tonight, his side should simply be given the points for the win.

“Plans for the game not happening? Yes, going home on the bus,” he said. “I really hope it will not happen but if it does happen I think we get the points.”

Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool deserve points if Glazer protest forces postponement

The German has spoken about the expected protests from a fan group against the Glazer family’s ownership of the club, with the match between the bitter rivals called off in May 2021 after supporters broke into the stadium

Planned protests ahead of Man Utd vs Liverpool

The 1958, an underground Manchester United fan group are staging a protest against the Glazer family before Liverpool’s visit to Old Trafford on Monday night.

The protest is expected to be a march to the stadium that will aim to arrive at the trinity statue opposite the club’s megastore for 7.30pm – half an hour before kick-off.

A statement on The 1958’s website said: “For Liverpool, we will plant The 1958 flag at the trinity for those wanting to make a stand from 7.30pm. In support of match-going and non match-going fans who have made the journey to show their discontent against this failing ownership.

“We urge anyone to please contact us for any future ideas or plans concerning match day actions so we can help to validate the feasibility and provide help, support and advice. We are all on the same side and it’s crucial the momentum and pressure is maintained above all else. This is a war not a battle, dig yourselves in and be prepared for the long haul.”

Manchester United vs Liverpool

Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Premier League action as Manchester United take on Liverpool at Old Trafford amid planned protests and demonstrations against the Glazer family’s ownership of the club.

Erik ten Hag’s tenure as United boss has gotten off to a terrible start following consecutive defeats to Brighton (2-1) and Brentford (4-0) in the league and now he’s tasked with facing Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

The Reds have been one of the Premier League’s leading teams over the last few years but Klopp’s men have also fumbled their opening to this year’s campaign. Not once in either of their two matches have they been in front, twice coming from behind to draw with Fulham (2-2) before Luis Diaz rescued a point with a blistering strike verus Crystal Palace (1-1).

Man Utd supporters are angry at the Glazers and a protest has been organised for today ahead of tonight’s game. From 7pm, fans will march from The Tollgate to The Trinity to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the owners and demand that the Americans sell the club.

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