Despite being underestimated, statistics reveal that MU is not far behind Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp’s reign.
On April 7th at 9:30 PM, MU will host Liverpool in the 32nd round of the Premier League. The clash comes as the “Red Devils” have just gone through two consecutive winless matches, stuck in 6th place with an 11-point gap from the top 4, thus facing the risk of missing out on Champions League qualification. Additionally, their disappointing defensive record of conceding 44 goals since the beginning of the season reflects their poor form.
MU Commits Fewest Defensive Errors Among “Big 6”
However, many might be surprised to learn that MU has committed the fewest errors leading to goals conceded among the “Big 6” teams in the Premier League this season. Specifically, the team from Old Trafford has made 8 mistakes but has only conceded 2 goals as a result, trailing behind West Ham (6 errors – 2 goals conceded) and Crystal Palace (5-3).
These goals came from mistakes by Kobbie Mainoo in the 0-2 defeat to West Ham (December 23, Matchweek 18) and Sofyan Amrabat in the 1-3 loss to Man City (March 3, Matchweek 27). Compared to Chelsea (18 errors – 8 goals conceded, second most in the Premier League), Tottenham (18-4, third), Arsenal (14-6, seventh), Liverpool (12-5, thirteenth), or Man City (12-2, fourteenth), MU’s defensive performance doesn’t look as bad as fans might perceive.
Concerning the upcoming Liverpool showdown, MU has reasons to be confident in achieving a good result despite being underrated, especially after their thrilling 4-3 victory over their arch-rivals in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
This will be the last “English derby” that Klopp leads Liverpool in the Premier League. However, throughout his nearly 9 years in charge, there have been 4 seasons where the German coach saw MU finish higher than Anfield in the standings.
Moreover, in 10 away matches at Old Trafford, Klopp has only managed 2 wins, alongside 4 draws and 4 losses.
Since taking over at MU, manager Erik Ten Hag has faced Liverpool 4 times, winning 2, drawing 1, and losing 1 (a 0-7 defeat at Anfield in last season’s Premier League return fixture). However, including his time at Ajax, the Dutch coach has suffered 2 defeats against Klopp. In total, Klopp has secured 7 wins, 8 draws, and 5 losses in 20 encounters with the “Red Devils” across all competitions.
The statistics show a relatively small gap between MU and Liverpool since Jurgen Klopp took charge of the “Reds”.
