Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes has played down Liverpool's slump in form, saying that every team can have moments where they are not able to spring together favourable results.
Manchester United and Liverpool are set to lock horns against each other on Sunday in the FA Cup. Fernandes has asked his team to bring their A-game to the table in order to defeat the Reds.
Liverpool has not picked up a victory since a 7-0 demolition of Crystal Palace on December 19. The side has also managed to score just once in their last five games.
"I think teams have moments. I don't think Liverpool are playing poorly. I think they don't win and this is the point. When teams don't win, everyone talks about that. When players don't score, everyone talks about that. I feel that on me because I know the standard is high, because I arrived and I scored a lot of goals and make a lot of assists, and everyone is wanting goals and assists from me," the official website of United quoted Fernandes as saying.
"It is the same -- everyone expects goals from Salah, from Firmino and from Mane. They are not scoring in the last games and it starts feeling like 'oh, they are not playing well'. They create, they play, but the other teams are playing better and, as I said before, they have more qualities to play. Every team goes there to play maybe without the pressure of the fans," he added.
United and Liverpool had played out a goalless draw at Anfield in the Premier League last weekend. United is currently at the top of the Premier League standings, while Liverpool finds itself at the fourth spot.
"Teams play a little bit more comfortably and, as I say, I think it is a moment. We don't have to look at that moment because big teams and big players can show in every moment. In the past already, I have seen Manchester United playing for a long time and I know what that game means for the fans. Everyone knows and of course, for us, it means a lot because it is a cup game and it is a chance to put one of the strongest teams who are in the cup with us out," said Fernandes.
"So we have to take that. Of course, we have so many teams in the cup in this moment that maybe you can have an easier game than this, but if you want to win the cup then you have to beat the biggest teams, so we have a chance now to beat one of the best that is left in the FA Cup," he added.
( With inputs from ANI )
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor