A resurgent Liverpool face Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 and it’s not the most eagerly anticipated match this week? Oh, this must be a biggie…
Game to watch – Manchester United v Barcelona
Picking a Europa League play-off tie over a replay of last season’s European Cup final in the Champions League last 16 is likely to boil some Liverpool p*ss – we’ll get to them – but a delicately poised second leg between these two behemoths deserves top billing. Even in a week when, arguably, it is not even United’s biggest game.
You could argue – pointlessly – over which the Red Devils need most: a win over Barca to remain in Europe and demonstrate to those on the continent that United might just be back; or to beat Newcastle on Sunday in the Carabao Cup final to win their first silverware in almost six years.
In Erik ten Hag’s mind, there is no need to choose or to prioritise. United are looking confident and sharp enough to take on both Barca and Newcastle in the coming days. Which, as we must be reminded, is remarkable given the mess Ten Hag found at the start of the season.
Marcus Rashford’s rebirth is the perfect symbol of United’s resurgence under the Dutch manager. The England star had Barca on the back foot at the Nou Camp last week and the Catalans may well be cowering again if they let Rashford get up another head of steam.
United and Barca may be seeing a lot more of each other in the coming seasons – and it won’t be in the Europa League. But it was the Red Devils who slipped furthest before their chance on Thursday night to regain some credibility on the continent having already reasserted themselves at home.
Team to watch – Liverpool
Barely a week ago, prior to the Merseyside derby, Liverpool might have been fearful of facing last season’s Champions League final foes. With good reason. The Reds were being handed their arse by the likes of Brighton, Brentford and Wolves, so it seemed like terrible timing to be taking another meeting with the European Cup winners.
Two games and two 2-0 wins later, tails are up again at Anfield. That’s not to say they are suddenly feeling full of themselves once more, but there is certainly more reason for optimism on Merseyside, with some suddenly making them favourites to nick a top-four spot after successive victories against Everton and Newcastle.
Putting the neighbours in their place will always serve as a shot in the arm but the win at Newcastle was hard to put…
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