Sky Sports presenter tips Michael Carrick and Barry Geraghty's Ericht to star this weekend
Friday 12 December 2014 11:14, UK
Whatever their position in the Premier League, it's always the game and occasion I look forward to presenting most: Manchester United v Liverpool on Super Sunday.
On the form book, Manchester United head into the clash with their great rivals in superb form. Five straight wins, 10 goals for, three against. Their best run of Premier League wins for nearly two years and the best sequence since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
A lot of people are saying that if Louis van Gaal can sort out their problems at the back, United could take off and maybe even put pressure on City and Chelsea.
But surely their attacking play is a worry too? On Monday night against a Southampton side that were a mile off their early season best, United produced just three attempts on goal. That is the lowest number by any Premier League team in a game this season. It's the lowest number of attempts on goal by a Manchester United side since OPTA started compiling these statistics 11 years ago.
As Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher explained on Monday Night Football, in the absence of Angel Di Maria, there was no pace to their play and no threat from midfield. United had just six touches of the ball in Southampton's penalty area; Robin van Persie had only two and scored with them both.
As Neville said after the game, it was a massive achievement to get away with it. They were three big points for the team and it kept their momentum going.
Key to that momentum has been the return of Michael Carrick. On Monday he provided calmness and reassurance in midfield and at the back. On Sunday Louis van Gaal will want him to make the team tick.
The home team are odds on to win on Sunday. Sky Bet have Manchester United at 4/5, while Liverpool are a 16/5 chance with the draw at 11/4.
Liverpool need to bounce back from the crushing disappointment in the Champions League on Tuesday. Their League form has picked up since we saw them at Crystal Palace last month, taking seven points from nine after tightening things up at the back and conceding only one goal having conceded six in the previous three games.
Key to United's momentum has been the return of Michael Carrick. Louis van Gaal will want him to make the team tick against Liverpool.
Like Carrick's return to United's line-up, Liverpool have picked up with Lucas back in the team to shield the back four. They can make it tough for United to break them down on Sunday.
Liverpool have attacking problems of their own too. Their top scorers this season are Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling and own goals, each with three, while at this stage last season Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge had already scored 24 league goals between them. The team are 15 goals worse off than at this time last season.
Liverpool have nine points fewer and have six league defeats already, which is the same number as the whole of last season. What a lift a win against their great rivals would give them on Sunday.
Liverpool did the double over Man Utd last season without conceding a goal. I remember presenting that extraordinary day at Old Trafford in March when Liverpool went 14 points clear of United. The home side will be after revenge on Sunday.
They meet in different circumstances this time around but it's an occasion that's always special. We start on Super Sunday at 12.30pm on Sky Sports 1HD.
Horse racing
What a great time of year this is for fans of jump racing with a relentless run of big races leading in to a frantic spell over Christmas.
That means Cheltenham Festival clues galore. There's top racing at HQ this weekend with Caid du Berlais trying to make it a big-race double in the wonderfully named 'Caspian Caviar Gold Cup' on Saturday - I imagine my editor will be dreaming of an upgrade in the complimentary press room grub - having won that fiercely competitive and dramatic renewal of the Paddy Power last month.
His biggest danger could be a horse that was down the field that day but ran a good deal better than his 10th place finish suggests. Ericht had almost hit the front turning in to the straight that day and was right in the mix until he went down on his face landing two, losing all momentum and was then impeded just behind Caid du Berlais as he jumped the last. Andrew Tinkler looked after him thereafter.
Ericht has always been well thought at Seven Barrows but often flattered to deceive and has been so hard to win with. However, he's looked good on both efforts at Cheltenham this term and now heads back there on Saturday with the yard in much better form and as Nicky Henderson's only entry for the race, which is a tip in itself.
Caid du Berlais is the one to beat but he seems at his best in a big field coming off a fast pace. Saturday's field will be smaller and it might be more tactical. Ericht looks to have a big chance to turn the Paddy Power form around and at 12/1 with Sky Bet looks a great each-way bet to scoop the Caviar.
My Cheltenham Festival ante-post portfolio, which often ends up as a list of non-runners and horses in the wrong race, will have an addition this week. After AP McCoy gave us Hargam as his horse to follow last week I have backed him to win the Triumph Hurdle and expect to see them both win the first race on Saturday in impressive fashion. Boston Bob will be my second investment.
Some seemed disappointed by his performance in the John Durkan last weekend, while Sky Bet were unmoved as Boston Bob's Gold Cup price remained unchanged at 16/1. Things did not go right for him on Sunday in what could turn out to be an excellent race. Don Cossack looks a big player in the Ryanair while Lord Windermere looks rock solid as a Gold Cup contender again. Boston Bob is an exciting prospect over the longer trip. The form book suggests he's better over shorter and he had the speed to win a Melling Chase at Aintree, but I'm convinced he'll need a trip to be seen at his best.
When he's at his best Boston Bob has a 'surge' in his races that few stayers can match. We saw it at Aintree and in the 2013 RSA Chase where he stormed round the field to lead in the straight. Many think he was getting tired when he fell and Lord Windermere would have beaten him up the hill. I disagree. Stamina should be Boston Bob's forte. Willie Mullins is clearly bringing him along steadily and training him with one race in March in mind. After he's run well in the Lexus and won the Irish Hennessy, the 16s will be long gone!
Holywell was all over the place last weekend but along with Shutthefrontdoor remains a contender in a wide-open Gold Cup. Jonjo O'Neill is a master at preparing chasers for March and he still has the application of blinkers on Holywell up his sleeve.
The New One's legion of fans could have a nervy day on Saturday. Vaniteux looks a massive danger in the International Hurdle in receipt of 8lbs. On good ground, Vaniteux would be a bet on Saturday on what could be a big day for the Team Henderson but the weather looks set to intervene. The ground could be horrible.
The New One is just about the most popular horse in training and I am one of his biggest fans after the favour his did this column throughout the season two years ago. I would love to see him win the Champion Hurdle as it would be so refreshing and good for the sport to see his connections win the big one. However, I struggle to see it. The New One will be in my ante-post portfolio again - for the 2016 World Hurdle.
