Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk believes the history with arch-rivals Manchester United means Sunday바카라™s FA Cup quarter-final meeting carries additional expectations. (More Football News)
A week after playing out a Premier League classic in a top-of-the-table 1-1 draw at home to Manchester City, Jurgen Klopp바카라™s side head to Old Trafford on the next leg of their quest for an unprecedented quadruple.
United are starting to gain some form 바카라“ eight wins and just two defeats in the last 11 games 바카라“ after an indifferent first half of the season and that makes the weekend바카라™s quarter-final clash more intriguing.
Asked about the rivalry, Van Dijk said: 바카라śIntense. Not only the actual game but the whole build-up is a game on its own but I like to be involved in these type of games.
바카라śWe always have a difficult games against them and I expect a difficult one on Sunday as well.
바카라śThey are finding ways to win but I focus on what we have to do against them. It바카라™s always difficult, it바카라™s always intense.
바카라śThe history of the games with the two biggest clubs in England brings extra expectation and pressure but why not just go out there and enjoy it, play our game and hopefully go to the next round?바카라ť
Liverpool head into the game on the back of a 6-1 Europa League thrashing of Sparta Prague 바카라“ a tie which finished 11-2 on aggregate 바카라“ with their forwards all in form.
Mohamed Salah became the first player in the club바카라™s history to score 20 goals in seven successive seasons, Darwin Nunez has 17 and six in as many games, and Cody Gakpo바카라™s two against the Czech champions took him to 13 for the campaign. Luis Diaz, an unused substitute, is expected to start on Sunday looking to add to his tally of 13, six of which have come in the last 14 games.
United are the only team in the last 55 matches to prevent Liverpool from scoring after an ultra-defensive display in a goalless draw at Anfield in December.
Van Dijk is not sure they can adopt the same approach on Sunday, especially with 9,000 visiting fans inside Old Trafford.
바카라śI think the game here was, I wouldn바카라™t say one-sided but we had a lot of the ball,바카라ť he added.
바카라śThey created a couple of dangerous moments on the break and we have to be aware of that but if they would do it exactly the same when they play at home, I have no idea.
바카라śWe have to focus on our game and make it as difficult as possible, press them as high as we want and play our football and hopefully we can get through.바카라ť
