Lucas Leiva: Liverpool Must Approach Man United Like Any Other Game

Lucas Leiva has called for his Liverpool teammates to leave any excitement about facing Manchester United to the supporters.

Bragging rights are at stake again when the two bitter rivals go head-to-head at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Both sets of fans will hope to see their team strike an early blow to the old enemy’s hopes of finishing in the top four this season. But Lucas says the players cannot afford to get wrapped up in the emotional build-up to the game, lest they let it get the better of them.

“We have to try to approach it the same way we approach every single game but we know there (is) a lot of (talking), and the fans are more excited about it,” the midfielder told LiverpoolFC.com. “For the players that have never played (the fixture), they just have to try to approach it the same way they always do.

“You feel when you get there that it’s a different game, but nothing is too different in terms of the football.

“We have to leave the excitement and emotion for the fans because that’s what they should do, be excited about this game.

“We are excited but in the right way.”

Liverpool and United both head into the game with two wins, one draw, one defeat and seven league points to their name with four games played this term.