“Go in there and understand the assignment” - Rio Ferdinand offers advice to Manchester United players before Liverpool clash

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has shared some tips to the Red Devils ahead of their daunting clash against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, December 17.

The Red Devils come into the fixture on the back of a 1-0 defeat against Bayern Munich at Old Trafford in the UEFA Champions League. They finished at the bottom of their group have been consequently eliminated. They have also now lost 12 of their 24 games across competitions this season.

Manchester United will next face rivals Liverpool at Anfield, a ground where they last scored in 2018. They were on the end of a 7-0 hammering last season at the ground. The Merseysiders, meanwhile, are in excellent form and sit stop the Premier League with just one defeat in 16 games.

Ahead of the daunting fixture, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand shared his and Paul Scholes' experience of playing at Anfield, saying on TNT Sports (via Daveockop):

“We [me and Scholes] were talking before saying, ‘Do you remember what it’s like going to Anfield? What the feeling was like playing against Liverpool?’”

“And he [Scholes] went: ‘You take as minimal touches as you can, try and play your way into the game slowly, but you’ve got to be aggressive.'”

Ferdinand added:

“You’ve got to be brave. You’ve got to have the courage to take the ball at times there and be willing to fight, roll your sleeves up.”

“That’s before any quality; any passing, any shooting or any skills. Go in there and understand the assignment.”

The Red Devils will be without Bruno Fernandes for the fixture due to suspension. Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford missed their clash against Bayern due to illness while Harry Maguire went off due to injury in the first half.

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Manchester United hoping to defy odds against Liverpool on Sunday

Aside from their poor record at Anfield and potential absentees, Manchester United's form this season fails to instill confidence ahead of the Liverpool clash. They have won 11 of their 12 games across competitions, having had to grind out results in some of those games.

Despite their struggles, though, the Red Devils sit sixth in the Premier League, six points behind fourth-placed Manchester City. However, they have some big tests coming up next. After Liverpool, Manchester United will face West Ham United away and Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

Jurgen Klopp's side, meanwhile, got to the summit of the league for the first time this season last week. They are just one point above Arsenal and will need to avoid any slip-ups in a tense title race.

They come into the clash against United on the back of a 2-1 defeat at Union Saint-Gilloise in the UEFA Europa League.