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As Manchester United pressed to get their game in hand against Burnley squeezed into the busy January schedule, they could easily have taken their eyes off the ball.
United might have realized that playing the game at Turf Moor this month would ease the pressure later in the season, if they continue to excel in cup competitions or become victims of any Covid-related postponement.
However, the desire to play the game on Tuesday, January 12, also kept the pressure on. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team is in good shape at the moment, with 26 points out of 30 possible, and they have eroded Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table.
By heading to East Lancashire on their first week off of the season, United will ensure that the trip to Anfield five days later sees the two teams tied in games played. If United wins, at least they will also be tied on points.
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United are feeling an unexpected opportunity right now and hoping to rack up all three points at Turf Moor before taking on Jurgen Klopp’s side, they aim to put pressure on the defending champions.
However, to achieve this they needed to win two test matches at Old Trafford on either side of the New Year. The tense wins over Wolves and Aston Villa spoke to the character and faith in this United team right now and could have sent a message down East Lancs Road as well. That they do not intend to disappear from Liverpool’s coattails.
Liverpool’s victory last season was tremendously impressive, but they were never under any pressure, mainly as a result of their own excellence, it must be said.
After 10 games they led by six points, after 20 games they led by 13 points and after 30 games they had won the league. It was a procession rather than a race for the title.
But this chaotic campaign would never resemble that smooth passage. There are too many unknowns this season, fitness on a busy schedule, the risk of Covid outbreaks, the possibility of postponements, and the difficulty of staying in shape throughout it all.
The idea of form, or momentum, will be elusive for many clubs this season. There were times in December when Liverpool looked like they were going to put their foot down, but draws against Fulham, West Brom and Newcastle within 18 days ended that idea.
Manchester United extended their unbeaten streak in the Premier League to 10 games, as they recorded a deserved 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on New Year’s Day.
Goals from Anthony Martial and Bruno Fernandes did the job as United kept up the pressure on defending champions and league leaders Liverpool.
United’s next game is against City in the Carabao Cup semi-final midweek.
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Now Klopp’s are tied on points with United as we approach the middle of the season this season. No one saw it coming not even two months ago and it is United, with eight wins and two draws in 10 games, who are maintaining the momentum at the moment, although that can be easily surrendered this season.
It will be interesting to see how Liverpool cope with a challenger clinging to them in January. While pressure was never applied last season, now they have tons and it is certainly the champions who have everything to lose.
They have been narrow favorites for much of the season, but their expected rivals have always been Manchester City, who could still make up ground, rather than United. Solskjaer’s men were 50/1 to win the league just over two months ago, now their level at the top. They really have nothing to lose. This is an unexpected opportunity for the 21st title.
That makes them a dangerous force, especially in this kind of form. Win at Burnley and head to Anfield at least level on points and it will be a seismic occasion. It’s an intriguing and tantalizing prospect for United and its supporters. They will also head into the game 22 undefeated on the road domestically, having not lost away from home in this country since losing at Liverpool on January 19 last year.
United fans might have breathed a sigh of relief not being inside Old Trafford to witness their team being disarmed by Tottenham in early October, but now they are missing out on all the unexpected fun.
United have not returned home at the start of a new calendar year so close to the top of the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson’s last season eight years ago. Nobody expected it to happen this season, but that’s the situation we find ourselves in.
The roof would have been raised at Old Trafford this week if this venue were packed, with dreams of a 21st title heating up the icy festive air. Instead, two massive victories have been played out to the sterile sounds of the sideline screaming and barking instructions. This is not how anyone envisioned the rebirth of United.
But forced to watch from home, fans will be counting down the days until the next time United plays, looking forward to the days and hours, the kind of excitement and enthusiasm you get when your team is in a race for the title. And, make no mistake, United are now in a race for the title and Liverpool know it.
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