Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has backed his old club to come 'flying out of the blocks' when the Premier League campaign resumes in just over a week's time - firing a warning to Manchester United in the process.
United, who will resume their league campaign at home to Nottingham Forest on December 27, are currently fifth in the standings, one place and four points ahead of Liverpool. The Merseyside outfit, who have gone toe-to-toe with Manchester City for the title in recent years, have experienced a difficult start to the campaign, winning just six of their opening 14 games.
Their struggles have caught many by surprise, with Jurgen Klopp's side backed by almost everyone to push City every step of the way in pursuit of the title again this season. However, their performances have been up and down, likewise their results, highlighted by their shock defeats to Nottingham Forest [1-0] and Leeds United [2-1] in late-October.
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Their early-season struggles mean that they face an uphill struggle to try and bag a Champions League place for next season. However, Gerrard, who is still out-of-work after being sacked by Aston Villa almost two months ago, is backing Klopp's side to turn up the heat following the restart, meaning United could have a serious battle on their hands to secure a top-four finish.
"Yes, it is [like a second pre-season]," Gerrard told Liverpool's club website. "It's an opportunity to get a lot of work in on the training ground [and] reset a few things.
"I'm sure Jurgen and his staff are doing a lot of things tactically but [it’s] also an opportunity to have a much-needed rest. They've played a lot of football over the last few years, they were involved in every competition last year.
"So to have a small pre-season before a ball was kicked [and then] to have this opportunity to rest and then have a second build-up, I'm hoping that Liverpool come flying out of the blocks. I expect a really strong six months and finish to the season because important players have had the chance to rest and recover and the players [who have been] in the World Cup should come back full of confidence, in a good place, physically ready.
"I expect a really strong, exciting finish to the season for the Reds."
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