{"id":1359,"date":"2016-10-13T16:00:07","date_gmt":"2016-10-13T20:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonfootball.com\/?p=1359"},"modified":"2016-10-13T16:00:07","modified_gmt":"2016-10-13T20:00:07","slug":"english-el-clasico-looms-large","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2016\/10\/13\/english-el-clasico-looms-large\/","title":{"rendered":"The English El Cl\u00e1sico Looms Large"},"content":{"rendered":"

The English El Cl\u00e1sico Looms Large<\/span><\/h2>\n

This week’s return of the <\/span>Premier League\u00a0<\/b>features England<\/strong>‘s answer to\u00a0El Cl\u00e1sico<\/em><\/strong>. A titanic clash between the country’s<\/span>\u00a0two most successful clubs, this rivalry includes many facets between two cities just 35 miles apart. Welcome to <\/span>Liverpool<\/b> versus <\/span>Manchester United:<\/b>\u00a0<\/b>a match so fierce that it consequently overshadows both clubs’ passionate hometown rivalries with <\/span>Everton<\/b> and <\/span>Manchester City <\/b>respectively. On Monday next, in the revamped <\/span>Anfield<\/b>, fans in the stadium and around the world will be emotionally kicking every ball and feeling every tackle.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Historic Rivalry<\/span><\/h2>\n

Liverpool was once the dominant economic powerhouse in the North West of England (<\/span>Lancashire<\/b>) due to its great trading port. This dominance was challenged by Manchester after the building of the Manchester Ship Canal<\/a> in the late 1800\u2019s<\/span>. This Canal bypassed the great Liverpool port and transferred employment and economic wealth to Manchester. Liverpool began to decline in economic and trade importance as Manchester rose. The seeds of rivalry between the two cities were sewn. <\/span><\/p>\n

Cultural Rivalry<\/span><\/h2>\n

Beatlemania<\/b>, the <\/span>Swinging Sixties,<\/b> and the <\/span>Merseybeat<\/b> musical genre launched a global music and pop culture phenomenon centred in Liverpool. Bands such as <\/span>Gerry and the Pacemakers<\/b>, the <\/span>Searchers<\/b> and of course the <\/span>Beatles<\/b> focused the emerging world of rock and roll culture on Liverpool. <\/span><\/p>\n

In Manchester circa the 1980\u2019s a new musical sound named the <\/span>Madchester<\/b> sound launched popular fashion and musical trends via bands like the <\/span>Happy Mondays<\/b> and the <\/span>Stone Roses<\/b>. The see-saw battle between both cities over pop culture supremacy has continued to the present day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Football Rivalry<\/span><\/h2>\n

Manchester United and Liverpool have dominated the English game for longer periods than any other clubs. The first great United era began in the <\/span>1950\u2019s<\/b> with the <\/span>Busby Babes<\/b> team. This great side, coached by former Liverpool player <\/span>Matt Busby,\u00a0<\/b>tragically had many young players killed in the <\/span>Munich<\/b> air crash tragedy. Busby was to rebuild, and a United team with greats like <\/span>Bobby Charlton<\/b> and <\/span>George Best<\/b> won their first <\/span>European Cup<\/b> in 1968.<\/span><\/p>\n

Liverpool’s Golden Era<\/strong><\/p>\n

Liverpool dominated from the 1970\u2019s through 1990. This golden era saw the Reds amass 11 League titles, three FA Cups, four European Cups and two UEFA Cups. Legendary managers such as <\/span>Bill Shankly<\/b>, <\/span>Bob Paisley<\/b>, <\/span>Joe Fagan<\/b> and <\/span>Kenny Dalglish\u00a0<\/b>coached swashbuckling sides that included marquee players such as <\/span>John Barnes<\/b>, <\/span>Emlyn Hughes<\/b>, <\/span>Ray Clemence<\/b>, Graeme Souness,<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Phil Neal<\/b> and <\/span>Ian Rush<\/b>.This era also unfortunately included the tragedies of <\/span>Heysel<\/b> and <\/span>Hillsborough<\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Manchester United Golden Era<\/strong><\/p>\n

Manchester United in the 90’s and early 2000’s dominated the English scene. Occasional major challenges only regularly came from <\/span>Arsenal.<\/b>\u00a0Recently\u00a0<\/span>Chelsea<\/b> and Manchester City have ended that dominant era.\u00a0<\/span>Alex Ferguson<\/b>, manager at <\/span>Old<\/b> Trafford<\/b> in this golden era, cemented his place as currently the most successful manager in English football history.<\/span><\/p>\n

United eclipsed Liverpool’s then record number of league title wins. Hugely successful Red<\/strong> Devil<\/strong> teams under Ferguson included terrific players such as Eric Cantona<\/b>, <\/span>Roy Keane<\/b>, <\/span>David Beckham, Ryan Giggs,<\/b> Paul Scholes<\/b> and <\/span>Wayne Rooney<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ferguson\u2019s stated mission was to surpass Liverpool and this created even more passionate rivalry around the matches between the clubs. The personification of this rivalry was the on-field battles between Liverpudlians Steven Gerrard<\/b> and <\/span>Jamie Carragher<\/b> and Mancunians <\/span>Nicky Butt <\/b>and <\/span>Gary Neville<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Klopp v Mourinho<\/span><\/h2>\n

J\u00fcrgen<\/span> Klopp and <\/span>Jos\u00e9 Mourinho are no strangers to huge footballing rivalries. Mourinho has coached in two of the great derbies, <\/span>Inter <\/b>vs\u00a0<\/span>Milan<\/b> and <\/span>Real Madrid<\/b> vs\u00a0<\/span>Barcelona (El Cl\u00e1sico<\/em>)<\/b>. Klopp has managed <\/span>Borussia Dortmund<\/b> vs\u00a0<\/span>Bayern Munich<\/b> in Der Klassiker<\/strong> rivalry in Germany<\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Both teams are in the upper reaches of the league standings. Liverpool are currently fourth with United three points behind in sixth. Mourinho and United fans will be determined not to concede a six points deficit at the top of the table this early in the campaign. Klopp and his Liverpool players have the opportunity to secure a victory and make a real statement to the rest of the country. Liverpool fans will demand attacking football from the start and this should make for a very pulsating encounter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Match Tactics<\/span><\/h2>\n

Injury rumours always accompany the end of international breaks and Liverpool may be looking at possible injury losses to <\/span>Adam Lallana<\/b> and <\/span>Georgino Wijnaldum<\/b><\/a>. United’s injuries include the young French forward <\/span>Anthony Martial. <\/b><\/p>\n

Expect Liverpool<\/span> to replace Wijnaldum with<\/span> Emre Can <\/b>and Lallana with <\/span>Daniel Sturridge<\/b> in a reshuffled attack, while United will look to marquee signings <\/span>Paul Pogba<\/b> and <\/span>Zlatan Ibrahimovic <\/b>for inspiration. <\/span><\/p>\n

Klopp should stick with his favoured fluid three attackers in a 4-3-3 style.\u00a0<\/span>Philippe Coutinho <\/b>should\u00a0revert to the Lallana midfield role and <\/span>Roberto Firmino <\/b>and <\/span>Sadio <\/b>Man\u00e9<\/b> joining Sturridge up top. Mourinho may feel pressure to depart from his traditionally cautious big game approach, since United can\u2019t afford a loss if they are to mount a serious title challenge. <\/span><\/p>\n

Aerial Threat<\/strong><\/p>\n

Expect the <\/span>Red Devils to test Liverpool in the air. Correspondingly,<\/span>\u00a0Marouane Fellaini <\/b>should feature\u00a0<\/b>in another version of a 4-3-3 style.<\/span> Both sides<\/span>\u00a0will know what points their top four rivals have secured over the weekend games and Klopp and Mourinho will sense a chance to climb or a need to stay in touch by the time of the Monday kick-off. A great rivalry game may prove pivotal for both club’s title aspirations this year.<\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n