Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum sympathises with Manchester United's difficult season

Georginio Wijnaldum has told Manchester United that any team can have a bad season as Liverpool prepare to welcome Jose Mourinho’s side to Anfield on Sunday.

Having beaten Napoli to progress to the Champions League knock-out stages on Tuesday night, the high-profile games continue to come thick and fast for Liverpool.

Sixth-placed United visit the Premier League leaders on Sunday, while dates with Arsenal and Manchester City are scheduled in the weeks to come.

United currently sit 16 points off the top of the table and Mourinho is now merely targeting a top-four place, despite finishing as runners-up last season.

Even so, Wijnaldum is not underestimating United and remembers how, on his arrival at Anfield in the summer of 2016, Liverpool had just endured a difficult campaign of their own.

“Things can happen, everyone can have a bad season,” the midfielder said. “I think the year before I came Liverpool finished eighth so those things can happen. That does not mean they are not a good team with good players.

“Last season with the same players they finished second. One season goes well, one season a little bit more difficult.

“It doesn’t mean they have a bad team: they have good players, a good manager, and they know how to manage games and win games – or not to lose games. It is going to be difficult.”

Ahead of United’s visit, Wijnaldum and his team-mates will take confidence from safely progressing to the Champions League last 16 by claiming the 1-0 win against Napoli that they required.

Liverpool had Mohamed Salah, scorer of the decisive first-half goal, to thank for qualification from Group C, but goalkeeper Alisson made an equally-crucial stoppage-time save to see Klopp’s through.

Alisson’s denial of Arkadiusz Milik dominated the post-match headlines, but the £66million summer signing has made crucial saves in victories over Burnley and Everton of late, and Wijnaldum was not surprised to see him come to Liverpool’s rescue once again.

“He did it almost every match, someone is through on goal and you think they are going to score and then Ali is there to make a save,” Wijnaldum said.

“He has helped us a lot and I hope he can perform until the end of the season and continue making important saves for us. He already gave us confidence he is a good goalkeeper.

“It is always difficult to stop balls, for example the one against Everton, if that one had gone in no-one would have blamed him but he saved it. Against Napoli also it was difficult to stop that ball but he managed to stop it and we are happy so of course it gives confidence.”

Liverpool are the only side in the top seven divisions of English football to remain unbeaten while in Europe, even losing all three of their Champions League away trips did not prevent them from qualifying from Group C.

Wijanldum, however, insists that he and his team-mates are remaining grounded and by no means consider themselves unbeatable on domestic soil.

“Invincible? No, not really. We know we have to do a lot to not lose games and even more to win it,” he said.

“We know we have to give a good performance every week to continue the run we are in. I don’t really think we are invincible and if we think that, we have a manager that would put both feet on the ground.”