Manchester United are gearing up for the most difficult match of the season. Having beaten Norwich City 3-2 over the weekend, the Red Devils are now preparing to visit none other than Liverpool this midweek.
The Premier League giants have currently leapfrogged Arsenal into fifth, albeit having played a game extra, and will look to maintain their push for UEFA Champions League football next season. Unfortunately, their next opponent is one of the best teams in world football.
To put this into perspective, while Rangnick's men are chasing a top-four finish, the Merseyside giants are pushing for the quadruple as they are in the running to win four trophies this season. Basically, this will be an extremely difficult tie for the 20-time English champions.
And to make things worse, the Manchester heavyweights will be without several key players for this tie. Five first-team players are currently on the sidelines and all five are tipped to miss Tuesday's trip to Anfield.
The biggest name on this list is Raphael Varane, the club's marquee defensive summer signing. While the French center-back has returned to fitness training, this game comes too soon for the 2018 World Cup winner, having struggled with injuries throughout this season.
Rangnick expects all five injured players to miss #lfc game. Varane was back on the grass but training with a fitness coach. #mufc
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) April 18, 2022
Another huge concern is the absence of both Fred and Scott McTominay, who have been a staple of Manchester United's midfield for most of the campaign. Given that Liverpool will likely dominate the possession, Rangnick could have used his two tenacious and hardworking midfielders.
Finally, Luke Shaw, who has struggled for form this term, and Edinson Cavani are the two other first-team players set to miss this game. The absence of the Uruguayan is nothing new, nor should it be overly concerning, as Cristiano Ronaldo is available and scoring the goals, having bagged an impressive hat-trick in the recent win over Norwich.
Nonetheless, having options on the bench is always precious against a team like Liverpool. With Salah and Co. chasing the Premier League title, the Reds will welcome their bitter rivals with the sole purpose of picking up the three points, and as Manchester City found out in the FA Cup semifinals, it's hard to stop Klopp's men when they're at their best.
