Manchester United return to action after the October international break with a blockbuster Premier League fixture against Liverpool.
The game at Anfield on Sunday could potentially determine whether under-fire manager Ruben Amorim has a long-term future with the club.
The Red Devils head into the game on the back of a 2-0 home victory over Sunderland. They are tenth in the standings, six points behind leaders Arsenal.
Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe publicly backed Amorim last week, saying he could not be judged in the role until he has been in charge for three years.
While Amorim may have taken some solace from those comments, it is worth noting that Ratcliffe gave Erik ten Hag a vote of confidence last year before sacking him three weeks later.
United have not won consecutive league games since Amorim was appointed in November. Their last away win was at Leicester City in March.
While the upcoming trip to Merseyside is daunting on paper, it is worth noting that United have lost just one of their last five meetings with Liverpool in all competitions.
That run of results includes a 2-2 draw on their most recent visit to Anfield in January, were goals by Lisandro Martinez and Amad Diallo secured a point.
United’s hopes of matching or bettering that result this weekend will rely heavily on the performances of key performers such as Bruno Fernandes.
According to Spreadex Sports, the United captain is one of the few class players left at the club. They have predicted that he will top the goals and assists charts this season.
Fernandes has weighed in with just two goals in seven league appearances and has yet to register an assist this season. However, he cannot be faulted for trying.
When factoring set pieces into the equation, Fernandes (19) tops the overall list of chances created in the Premier League ahead of Jack Grealish (17).
While some pundits have questioned whether the Portuguese international is as creative playing in a deeper midfield role, the statistics suggest the criticism is unwarranted.
Fernandes has the opportunity to demonstrate his value to United when they face Liverpool this weekend. The reigning champions will be desperate to keep him quiet.
Arne Slot’s side hit a sticky patch before the international break, suffering three consecutive defeats in all competitions. Their performances have been largely underwhelming since the season started.
They have looked shaky at the back, while their midfield has struggled to impose themselves on their opponents in several matches.
The latter point was evidenced in the 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace, when Adam Wharton left Liverpool’s midfielders chasing shadows.
His performance highlighted why many people believe he would be the ideal man to bring control and guile to Man United’s midfield.
The Red Devils are reportedly interested in signing Wharton next summer, and their hopes of getting a deal over the line would be enhanced if they qualified for the Champions League.
While winning at Liverpool would not guarantee they achieved that goal, it would undoubtedly ease the pressure on Amorim’s shoulders.
Some underlying metrics suggest Amorim has triggered improvement at United. Three points at Anfield would be the perfect way to demonstrate that point.
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