Wes Brown, a Manchester United hero, believes that his old team will surprise everyone by defeating their arch-rivals Liverpool in the upcoming weekend. FA Cup this weekend.
Liverpool is expected to easily beat United and progress to the semi-finals of the Cup when they visit Old Trafford on Sunday.
The Reds are aiming to win four trophies in Jurgen Klopp's final season and are likely to field their best players for this game, as they plan to rest some for the second leg of their Europa League match against Sparta Prague on Thursday.
The Red Devils, however, have only managed to win seven out of their last nine games, and their performance is still nowhere near their level last season when they made it to the FA Cup final.
Despite the return of the in-form striker Rasmus Hojlund from injury, few people anticipate United to win, even with the advantage of playing at home.
Nevertheless, former defender Brown believes they have a chance to outperform their rivals, stating to instantcasino.com: 'I can’t predict a loss – deep down, I am still a true Manchester United supporter and I believe they will perform well.
‘I think it will be close and that both teams will score, so I’m going to predict a 2-1 victory for United at the end of the 90 minutes.
‘However, every player has to perform at their best. I say this every week – no avoidable errors, stay focused, and be prepared for a tough match. The United players need to support each other because you can be sure that Liverpool will be fully energized, but the key for them is to convert their chances into goals.'
The FA Cup is the final opportunity for United to win a trophy, as they were humiliated in the Champions League and Carabao Cup, and are currently sixth in the Premier League, a massive 17 points behind Arsenal and Liverpool who are at the top.
A win would greatly benefit Ten Hag, who needs to prove to the new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe that he is the right choice, and Brown believes the manager should and will be given another season to demonstrate his value.
‘I believe the new owners will continue to support Erik ten Hag,’ he added.
‘Certainly, it's challenging when new individuals take over because they will have their own opinions on how the football club should be managed, but I can say from my experience within the club that the owners have been quite positive.
‘I sense that there will be some changes, particularly with some of the players, but I also believe that they will provide the manager with time.
‘It's a tough situation – Manchester United has had some iconic managers over the past 11 years and still have not been able to reach their desired position, but I would like to see Erik ten Hag continue and attempt to build a team – his team. He deserves it after the previous season.'
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