As good as Liverpool’s performance was on Wednesday night at the Allianz Arena, few would disagree that this was not the Bayern Munich of old. Three FCB players- Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng and Thomas Muller had been told by national coach Jogi Low that they no longer had a future with Die Mannschaft. Muller was suspended for this game, Boateng only made it to the bench because Joshua Kimmich was suspended (which resulted in Rafinha being promoted to the starting XI), and Hummels was poor in comparison to his opposite number Virgil van Dijk, who also beat him to a corner to score the goal that effectively sealed Bayern’s fate.

The German media operates on a 6-1 scale (6 being very bad and 1 being very good). Gnabry and Thiago were the only players to get an “average” rating for this game- both picked up 3’s. Manuel Neuer is nowhere near his best after coming back from injury and that reflected in his 5 for the game. James and Lewandowski were expected to be crucial for Bayern, but neither really turned up on the evening.

Kicker ran the headline “Deutsches Desaster”, alluding to the fact that no German club made it to the quarters of the CL. Continue reading →

Liverpool turned in one of their best away performances in the Champions League this season as they convincingly beat Bayern Munich in the second leg of their European knockout tie. After a 0-0 draw in the first leg, many pundits thought Bayern had the edge, especially as Jurgen Klopp’s men had suffered defeats away in Paris, Naples and Belgrade during the group stages.

But Bayern seemed short on ideas, and Liverpool, thanks to the brilliance of Sadio Mane, sealed a famous 3-1 win at the Allianz Arena. The Senegalese opened the scoring with a beautiful goal on 26 minutes and fittingly enough, also scored the final one of the evening, beating Manuel Neuer with a header from point blank range.

Virgil van Dijk again showed why many consider him as the world’s best defender, and his fantastic header midway through the second half, beating both Hummels and Martinez to the ball, was a pivotal moment in the game. Continue reading →

A game that could have a pivotal impact on the title race sees Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United square off against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon. The Reds have a better record under the referee for this game, but United will be doing local rivals City a great favour if they can take points off the Reds in this GW27 clash.

Here are the predictions for the game from various well known TV pundits

Mark Lawrenson: Lawro says that the atmosphere at Old Trafford will be “white-hot” and that this is “one of Liverpool’s difficult league games between now and the end of the season”

Has predicted a 1-1 draw.

Paul Merson: Merson predicts a 2-1 win to United, saying that the “nerves of Liverpool will be too much”

Robbie Savage: Savage is another who has gone for the same scoreline as Merson- a 2-1 is his prediction as well.

Michael Owen & Kevin Kilbane: Ex-Liverpool striker Owen and former Everton medio Kilbane have both tipped this to end in a draw, but one in which both teams will score.

Bottom line: Few think Liverpool can win at Old Trafford this afternoon! Three points here would be a huge statement of intent from the Reds.