Liverpool vs. Manchester United: Steven Gerrard Key for Reds Victory

Soccer, excuse me, football, in the English Premier League is like a normal Saturday or Sunday for college football and NFL fans.

Fans of both sports get up on game day, excited for the upcoming game. Fans of both sports will dish out hundreds of dollars just for a ticket. 

And fans of both sports will put on their favorite jerseys, paint their faces and drink way too much alcohol before, during and after the game.  

It’s amazing that the sport has never caught on here in the States.  

But, for those who live and die by the beautiful game of football played inside of the Premier League, this game between Manchester United and Liverpool is one that you have had circled on your calendar since the season started.  

The game has garnered a lot of buzz in America, not because of the return of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, but because of NBA All Star and multiple MVP award-winner, LeBron James.  

In one case, there was a column written that LeBron should suit up for the Reds. 

Okay, enough about people who won’t be on the pitch for this game, let’s dive back into this rivalry.  

According to EPL Talk, the announcement of Gerrard coming back for this game after dealing with a bad groin is going to give a huge shot in the arm for the Reds:  

“There’s an undeniable, some might say, palpable level of excitement evident amongst Liverpool fans as they await the imminent return of their captain Steven Gerrard as a regular starter for the team. Gerrard’s frequent and untimely headaches with a recurring groin injury has frustratingly meant the best part of six months out of the game.” 

Having Gerrard back with his teammates will be a learning process for both player and team, as this Liverpool team has gone through a mighty transition.  

In the offseason, Liverpool unloaded a lot of their older and lesser talented players, for a complete face-lift. Out went the hangers-on, in came new fresh talent; fresh and expensive talent.  

With the expected return of Gerrard against Man United, it will give Liverpool their first chance to play as a complete team for the first time this season. This will be the best indication if all of their offseason spending was worth it.  

Before the season, the key to Liverpool’s season was Steven Gerrard. Now that he’s back to being healthy, if he can have a big game, it will lead to a huge win for Liverpool, that will start a long winning streak. 

Twitter: @tjmcaloon