There’s always comparisons between teams in the world of football. The latest coming from former Liverpool player and manager Graeme Souness, who gave his thoughts on how many Manchester United players could make it into the current Liverpool squad.
According to Souness, only one player from the Manchester United team could potentially make it into Liverpool’s starting eleven: Bruno Fernandes.
Bruno Fernandes, who currently serves as Manchester United’s captain, has been suspended for the upcoming match between the two Premier League giants.
Despite this, Souness believes that Fernandes has what it takes to be part of Liverpool’s squad. This is quite a compliment, considering Fernandes was part of the Manchester United team that suffered a 7-0 defeat at Anfield last season.
Fernandes’ performance in recent years has been impressive, scoring 69 goals and providing 59 assists in his 208 appearances for Manchester United.
However, his individual success hasn’t translated into team success comparable to what Liverpool has achieved during the same period. In Souness’ view, this is due to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp having ‘better players in every position’.
In his column for the Daily Mail, Souness questioned:
“Tell me, who would Liverpool take from Man United? Bruno Fernandes, perhaps. I think he would be a star in Liverpool’s team because he has all the qualities you need to be a top player.”
But Souness also added that there is something lacking in Fernandes’ game at present. The Portugal star is currently suspended anyway, with Souness adding:
“That is why, from the 22 who line up at kick-off, I’d say the best 11 players will all be in red of the home team.”
With Fernandes’ suspension and Harry Maguire’s injury, Erik ten Hag, Manchester United’s manager, will have to choose a new captain for the upcoming match against Liverpool. During a pre-match press conference on Friday, Ten Hag confirmed that he had already decided on a captain but did not reveal the player’s identity.
The debate over Fernandes’ suitability as Manchester United’s captain is ongoing. Some of the club’s former players, including Roy Keane and Gary Neville, have expressed their belief that Fernandes should not be the captain. Neville suggested that Fernandes might perform better without the added responsibility of captaincy.
Despite these views, Ten Hag is unlikely to strip Fernandes of his captaincy, as doing so could cause further disruption within the team. Regardless, the discussions and debates will continue as football fans eagerly await the next clash between these two Premier League titans.
