Liverpool had a good run with five goals, but one of their players urged them to move forward, demanding more, leaving a beleaguered Manchester United side already down to 10 men. I was looking for a scoreline that would humiliate the .
Indeed, Fabinho wasn’t barking at them from his normal position on the midfield base, making it difficult for them to hear or even really hear his instructions. I should be relieved that I was injured and sat at home screaming at the TV.
“With one more player, I would have liked the team to attack more and score more goals,” Fabinho said. It was a big chance to record a historic score at Old Trafford and I would have liked the team to have scored more but of course 5-0 wasn’t bad.”
In his verdict, it was still historic: Liverpool’s largest margin of victory at United’s home turf.
But Fabinho, who can be a realist on the pitch, felt more adventurous on the couch. “Sometimes we are more on the fun side than the player side, but we are on the pitch more often, so we try to understand both sides a little bit,” he reflected.
And Fabinho quickly understood what Manchester United meant for Liverpool. “This is the biggest game in England,” said the Brazilian. Last season was a mismatch when the side led by Jürgen Klopp against United he scored nine unanswered goals, the highest total score in a rivalry dating back to 1895. three meetings.
Fabinho may have missed 5-0, but it feels like a talisman. He has never lost a league match against United. His 3–1 win in December 2018 was a landmark achievement for him after a slow start at Anfield.
“I remember my first match with them,” he recalled. “I was playing well, but if you play well against them, you get another dimension. The fans will look at you differently.”
United supporters see their side near the bottom of the table after losing 4-0 to Brentford. Liverpool could hasten the death of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and worsen the start of Erik ten Hag.
“I don’t care if a win puts them in a little more danger,” said the unsympathetic Fabinho.
Yet, as he was quick to point out, United’s woes benefit Liverpool. Fabinho joined a struggling club, which last season fell behind by around 34 points.
“Manchester United are a very big team and they also have a lot of money to invest in. If something like this doesn’t work out, it’s going to be one less team in contention for the title, so that’s good for us. I think,’ said Fabinho.
His only regret is that the scapegoat is a compatriot and colleague on the Brazilian team.
“Manchester United have not been successful in the last few seasons. So I try to blame some players. Sometimes I think Fred is that player.”Last season he played really good football. He was probably one of the best players at Manchester United and I hope Fred can play well this season and Manchester United will continue to play like this.”
If Fred’s place is threatened, it could be another player in the Brazilian defensive midfielder, who Casemiro is closing in for a £60m transfer fee from Real Madrid.
United have an admittedly mixed record in the recent transfer market, but they have the seal of approval from someone with expertise in the position.
“He will be a good sign,” said Fabinho. “Casemiro is a smart guy.
There may be sarcasm. Casemiro’s transfer could be part of a midfield merry-go-round that may have influenced Fabinho. Aurelien Chuameni could oust the Brazilian at the Bernabéu. There were suggestions that he might have done it at Anfield instead, and it was thought that the Frenchman was on Liverpool’s radar before joining Real.
Fabinho shrugged. “I’m really happy here. If Liverpool get another number 6, it’s normal and I’ll fight for the team and the position,” he said.
“It’s normal that good players are always connected with the club. I haven’t heard of Chuameni. I heard about [Jude] “Because Bellingham is young and a really good player.” Told.
Last season, it was a team that approached the quadruple while struggling. He said the loss in the Champions League final was “painful”. He thought Liverpool were better than Real. Now he says he doesn’t think about it. Supporters aided in the healing process.
“I knew I had to parade with the fans, but I didn’t feel good, so most of the players didn’t want to, but we forgot everything, so the parade was me. We were in the moment with our fans,” he explained.
“Sometimes you have to have this kind of experience to remember what this club means to people and fans.”
And when they were leading 5-0 at Old Trafford last October, Fabinho wanted them to score six or seven.
