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Liverpool beating Man Utd at Anfield – sporting bliss

<span>Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA</span>
Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

Expectation and dread. That’s what I’ll be feeling this afternoon as Liverpool take on Manchester United at Anfield. On paper, the result is a foregone conclusion. Liverpool are runaway leaders of the Premier League and possibly the best team in the world. United these days play dreadful, soul-sapping football and languish 27 points behind their rivals.

But football isn’t played on paper. And there is nothing certain about sport. United are the one team that have taken points off Liverpool this season and may do so again.

One plays, and watches, sport for the emotions it generates. As a Liverpool supporter, I am both ecstatic that they’re so far ahead in the title race and strangely dissatisfied. Of course, I want Liverpool to crush all opposition, go through the season unbeaten and to have won the league title by March.

But sport is also about thrill and drama and excitement and ecstasy. And that comes from closeness of combat and overcoming impossible odds, not a cruise to victory. If you ask most Liverpool fans about their favourite matches, two would probably come top of the list. The first is the “miracle of Istanbul” in 2005, when Liverpool came from 3-0 down at half-time to beat AC Milan and become European champions. The second is Liverpool’s 4-0 demolition of Barcelona last season to reach the Champions League final – having lost the first leg 3-0. Both results defied logic. Both drained the emotions as only sport can. Both were about as thrilling as football gets.

Perhaps there will always be a tension between being a sports fan and being the supporter of a particular team. Between the desire for electrifying drama and the craving for a crushing victory. This afternoon, though, a crushing victory will do just fine.

• Kenan Malik is an Observer columnist