Liverpool vs Man Utd: 'Difficult' stalemate suits Mourinho

Liverpool vs Man Utd: Mourinho ref row, Klopp touchline vow

17 October

The North-West derby between Liverpool and Manchester United is already mired in controversy after United boss breached Football Association rules as he joined the debate over referee Anthony Taylor.

The moment it was announced that Taylor would take charge of tonight's clash there was an outcry. Liverpool fans took to social media to vent their fury that Taylor was officiating because he was born in Greater Manchester and lives in Altrincham, just six miles from Old Trafford.

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Despite the fact that the Liverpool Echo pointed out that Liverpool haven't done too badly on the previous occasions when Taylor has been in charge of the whistle - last season they were unbeaten in all four fixtures that he refereed - there remains much muttering on Merseyside that a Manchester man is in charge.

Now Mourinho has had his say on the appointment, claiming that the appointment of Taylor leaves him in an unenviable position. Asked about the controversy, the United manager told reporters: "I think Mr Taylor is a very good referee but I think somebody with intention is putting such a pressure on him that I feel it will be difficult for him to have a very good performance."

According to The Sun, the Football Association will "probe" Mourinho's claims because their rules state that managers and players "are not allowed to speak about referees before games in a way that could influence their performance".

However, Mourinho's comments have been echoed by Keith Hackett, the former head of the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd. “No one is questioning Anthony's integrity or his ability to handle this game," he said last week. "But what if something goes wrong for him on the day – as it can for even the finest referees? That's when the focus on him would be intolerable.”

Meanwhile Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has also been speaking to the press ahead of tonight's highly-anticipated clash. Reminded that last season Mourinho, when still in charge of Chelsea, had complained of Klopp's antics on the touchline during Liverpool's 3-1 win, Klopp said: "I have to accept that for a long time in my life not everybody is 100 per cent happy with my performance on the sidelines. I would say that I am not as intense as I used to be when I was younger – but sometimes it still happens."

Asked if he would be as animated on Monday as he was last October when the Reds beat Chelsea, Klopp laughed and said: "I'm also one year older. That's what age in a positive way can do. I don't know. We will see."

Liverpool vs Man Utd: Does evening kick-off mean violence?

14 October

Liverpool and Manchester United have warned fans that offensive behaviour will not be tolerated at their Premier League clash at Anfield on Monday.

In a joint statement, the two clubs acknowledged their "historic and passionate" rivalry, but said: "We ask all supporters to be respectful and help eradicate all forms of offensive and discriminatory behaviour from the game."

Last season, the clubs were fined by Uefa after trouble flared at both legs of their Europa League clash.

"The fixture between England's two most successful clubs and arch-rivals has been littered with unsavoury incidents between the two sets of supporters in the past," says The Guardian.

Not only have fans fought and thrown objects, there have also been offensive chants about the Hillsborough disaster and the Munich air crash.

Scheduling the clash on Monday night is unusual, says the Daily Mail.

"With the odd exception - including the unavoidable Europa League ties last season, which both kicked off at 8.05pm - these clashes are usually early on Saturdays and Sundays to minimise alcohol consumption," adds the paper.

There have only been four night meetings between Liverpool and United at Anfield in the past 35 years, reports the Liverpool Echo. The last league encounter under lights in Liverpool came in 1999.

However, the paper says there could not "be more fitting opposition" than United for the first fully floodlit game in front of Anfield's new main stand.

The Mail says TV scheduling is behind the move, as Sky Sports now views the Monday night game as its "flagship" football slot.

But despite the fact the game kicks off in the evening, "local police forces are confident that this game will pass without any added incidents given that it is will be played on a week night", it adds, saying Merseyside and Greater Manchester police will work together to try and prevent trouble.

The Premier League will also be hoping the game passes off peacefully.

"With the game being broadcast to an estimated 700 million people in over 200 countries, the Premier League is keen for no trouble to tarnish the image of its competition," says the Daily Mirror.

Why can Anthony Taylor referee Liverpool vs Man United?

12 October

The former head of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has criticised the appointment of Anthony Taylor to oversee next week's showdown between Liverpool and Man United.

Keith Hackett says the Manchester-based referee will be under "intolerable" pressure, telling the Daily Telegraph: "No-one is questioning Anthony's integrity or his ability to handle this game... But what if something goes wrong for him on the day – as it can for even the finest referees? That's when the focus on him would be intolerable.

“If that happens then it would be those who appointed him who must take the blame for taking such an avoidable risk – on a weekend when Mark Clattenburg, the 2016 Champions League final referee, is holding up a board as fourth official in another match."

The decision to hand Taylor the high-profile clash was "bound to provoke debate", says the Liverpool Echo, adding: "Not only has the 37-year-old never been handed the reins for the highly-charged fixture before, but he was born in Wythenshawe in Greater Manchester and lives in Altrincham - just six miles away from Old Trafford."

Everton fans were incensed when Taylor officiated the FA Cup semi-final last season against United, which the Toffees lost, adds the paper.

However, former ref Graham Poll, writing in the Daily Mail says the choice "should certainly not raise any eyebrows despite [Taylor] living and working in the Manchester area".

Taylor is a "trusted member of the select group of referees and one it's most senior officials", adds Poll. "Referees can rightly officiate any teams that they do not support and why not?"

However, the Echo says there are "glaring inconsistencies" in appointments, reporting that last season, Kevin Friend was stripped of a game involving Tottenham Hotspur during the title run-in as he was a fan of Leicester and the game could have affected their title chances. However, Michael Oliver, a Newcastle fan, was allowed to take charge of a game involving the Magpies' relegation rivals Norwich City and Crystal Palace.

The rules have changed, Poll says: "The criteria for appointments was unclear at the time but following that incident the PGMOL stated that in future the only games a referee would be excluded from officiating are ones where the team they support are playing.

"So Mark Clattenburg is now able to referee Sunderland despite his allegiance to Newcastle and Mike Dean can referee Everton or Liverpool despite living in the area. Our referees are professional and have huge credibility to referee any game with impartiality."

Liverpool injury update: Concerns mount ahead of Man Utd showdown

11 October

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp faces a potential injury crisis in the build up to Monday's showdown between the Reds and their arch rivals Man United.

Midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum limped off with a hamstring injury during Holland's 1-0 defeat to France on Monday night and will undergo a scan this week. He is described by the Liverpool Echo as a "major doubt" for the match.

The 25-year-old Dutchman, whose arrival this summer was greeted with scepticism in some quarters, "has been ever-present for Jurgen Klopp's team in the Premier League this season and settled impressively in central midfield following his £25m summer transfer from Newcastle United," reports The Guardian.

If he fails to recover then Emre Can is likely to take his place in midfield.

This may not be the only change forced upon Klopp ahead of what is arguably his biggest league match since taking over at Anfield a year ago.

The Liverpool boss could also be without another ever present, Adam Lallana, who suffered a groin injury against Swansea that forced him to miss England's World Cup qualifiers this week. "He has been receiving intensive treatment at Melwood during the international break in a bid to be fit for United but needs monitoring on a daily basis," says the Guardian.

Two other key men, defenders Nathaniel Clyne and Dejan Lovren, were also injured in Liverpool's last outing, but there is more positive news about them, says the Echo. Both "are expected to be fit for the visit of Jose Mourinho's side, having made good progress since picking up knocks in the win at Swansea".

But with Jordan Henderson skippering England tonight and Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino in action for Brazil on Wednesday (UK time), Klopp will still be biting his nails over some of his key performers.

Coutinho and Firmino, who both scored against Bolivia at the weekend, have the added pressure of a 5,000-mile journey back to the UK after their match in Venezuela, and are not expected to return to Liverpool until Thursday. Coutinho was a substitute for Liverpool against Leicester after his last Brazil outing, although the South American pair will have longer to recover for the match against United that takes place on Monday.