Gary Neville claims that he has never experienced such a quiet Liverpool crowd for a game against Manchester United as on Sunday.
Manchester United headed to Anfield on Sunday afternoon with few giving them a real chance of a result.
Last season’s 7-0 hammering was still fairly fresh in the mind and United’s poor form this season left some believing that a repeat could be on the cards.
Liverpool weren’t at their best though and failed to break United down as the game ended in a 0-0 draw.
The Reds had more than 30 shots but so many of them were from unfavourable angles or hit straight against United defenders, with Liverpool failing to find the big moment in front of goal.
Gary Neville comments on Anfield atmosphere as Liverpool draw with Manchester United
There was a slightly strange atmosphere during the game.
Liverpool had a hot start and put pressure on the United goal with Reds fans seemingly right up for it.
The early goal didn’t arrive though and with United attempting to nullify Jurgen Klopp’s side, the Liverpool fans seemed to become a little frustrated.
Rushed chances, a lack of composure in the final third and a real loss of fluency in the final third after some second-half substitutions; this just wasn’t Liverpool’s day.
Pundit Gary Neville felt that the atmosphere played a part in Liverpool’s off-colour display, suggesting that it was ‘the worst atmosphere’ he can remember for a Liverpool v Manchester United game at Anfield.
Neville was expecting ‘ferocity’ from the Liverpool fans, but it just never came and he suggested that he has ‘never seen it so quiet’.
Speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast, Neville left it as a question for Liverpool fans to answer but felt that the poor atmosphere ultimately helped United.
“The atmosphere today… you mentioned it was the third-highest Anfield crowd for 50, 60 years, that new stand has just opened over there, and I have often talked about the ferocity of this atmosphere in this ground in Liverpool v Manchester United games in the first 20 minutes – the atmosphere was not here today,” said Neville.
“I have to say, that is the worst atmosphere I’ve seen generated from a Liverpool crowd during a game against Manchester United, I’ve never seen it so quiet. I don’t know why that is, it’s a question for Liverpool fans, but it made it a lot more comfortable for the away team,” he added.
One theory is that United actually threw a spanner in the works by making Liverpool attack The Kop in the first half rather than in the second.
We are used to seeing Liverpool attack that stand in the second half with the old idea that fans almost suck the ball into the net.
Instead, Liverpool’s usual routine was thrown off a little and The Kop didn’t have the chance to really help a grandstand finish in the second half.
There were probably a host of factors involved but Neville was certainly happy that Anfield wasn’t quite as scary as he imagined on Sunday.
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