With a turgid international break finally coming to an end, the Premier League is back with an almighty bang on Saturday as Manchester United and Liverpool face up in a heavyweight clash.
Jurgen Klopp’s side will present the first real test of the visitor’s title credentials, with Jose Mourinho’s men currently propping up the Premier League table alongside Manchester City.
As for the hosts, they will look to make a big statement of intent after an indifferent start to the new season and start to claw back the deficit between themselves and the Manchester sides at the top.
Two of the Premier League’s big-name players will take to the stage at Anfield, with Romelu Lukaku and Roberto Firmino looking to continue their fine starts and inspire their side to victory.
But with both amongst the goals of late, who is the better Draft Fantasy pick?
With the news filtering through that Sadio Mane is out for up to six weeks with a new hamstring knock, much of Liverpool’s goal-scoring burden will fall onto the shoulders of the Brazilian striker on Saturday lunchtime.
He hasn’t exactly flourished so far this season, scoring just twice in seven matches, and he was dropped to the bench by Klopp in the draw at Newcastle United, after failing to net in five straight games.
However, Mourinho – and Draft Fantasy managers – would be foolish to write him off because of a small dip in form, with the 26-year-old capable of turning on the style in the blink of an eye and taking the match away from United.
Despite not hitting top stride so far this year he’s still carved out two assists for himself, creating double figures of chances (10) in the process, and with the deadly duo of Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah likely to be supporting him from the wings all afternoon he is unlikely to be short of clear chances.
However, the Brazilian international will face the leanest defence in the Premier League, with United keeping six clean sheets in their seven league games to date and conceding just twice all campaign.
David de Gea – who always seems to turn on the style against Klopp’s side – has been at his imperious best, whilst the rejuvenation of Phil Jones has continued over the past two months of action, striking a good partnership next to Eric Bailly, and the visitors will be tough to break down.
Whilst United have been miserly at the back, they have been lethal and potent down at the other end of the pitch and it is largely due to the scintillating form of £75 million summer arrival Lukaku.
The Belgian international has scored seven in his opening seven Premier League matches, only failing to find the back of the net in one of these, and he has silenced any critics that said the former Everton forward would find it tough to be a consistent asset for Mourinho’s side upon leaving Goodison Park.
Instead, Lukaku has taken his game to another level and Liverpool should be worried with how clinical he has been so far this season, with 65% of his 23 shots forcing the goalkeeper into action.
It is a more clinical rate than the wasteful Firmino has achieved this season, with Liverpool’s struggles to translate their chances into goals blighting their progress both domestically and in Europe.
Lukaku will be full of confidence heading into Saturday, leading the goal-scoring charts in the Premier League, and despite being away from home he will cause problems for the hosts’ defence.
Firmino may have the home support behind him, and Lukaku may be suffering with a minor knock picked up with Belgium, but it’s hard to see the United number nine not scoring against Klopp’s side.
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