4. Coutinho will get the better of Martial
Neither Philippe Coutinho or Anthony Martial are renowned for their contributions on the defensive end of the pitch. That means the success of this matchup will depend on which attacking player can create consistent offense for their squad.
Both players have tremendous talent, but there’s no question which man is in better form at the moment. Coutinho comes into the match firing on all cylinders while Martial has been firing blanks.
Don’t look for those circumstances to change at Anfield. The fact of the matter is offensive-minded players tend to play their best football at their home ground. That bodes well for Coutinho, and is not positive news for Martial.
Manchester United are also going to need Martial to put in a solid defensive shift if they hope to win the match. He isn’t developed enough defensively to handle Coutinho; especially in transition situations. Look for the Brazilian to batter the Frenchman for 90 minutes.