LIVERPOOL and Manchester United go head-to-head at Anfield in what could prove a pivotal game in the title race.
The Red Devils arrive top of the table and have made three changes from their win at Burnley, while Jurgen Klopp brings Xherdan Shaqiri into his starting lineup.
- Start time: 4.30pm GMT
- TV/Live stream: Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League/NOW TV
- Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Henderson, Fabinho, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Thiago, Shaqiri, Mane, Salah, Firmino.
- Man Utd XI: De Gea, Shaw, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Pogba, Fred, McTominay, Bruno Fernandes, Martial, Rashford.
Follow all the action with our live blog below…
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RED BIRDS REELING?
A dominant machine over the past two seasons, are cracks starting to show within Jurgen Klopp’s injury hit squad?
Liverpool are winless in their previous three Premier League games (D2 L1), failing to score in their last two.
It’s four years since they last went four games without, while they’ve not gone three consecutive league games without a goal since March 2005.
KLOPP’S THOUGHTS
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has spoken ahead of kick-off and has explained his team selection, while revealing what his players need to do in order to prevail.
We have to play brave football. We need to be cheeky at moments. We have to be well-organised but not hide behind defensive organisation.
Jurgen Klopp
UNITED PERCHED PRETTY
For the first time in eight years, Manchester United will today kick-off a Premier League game against Liverpool as the club top of the table.
On the last occasion, under Sir Alex Ferguson’s stewardship in January 2013, the Red Devils were 2-1 victors at Old Trafford courtesy of goals from Robin van Persie and Nemanja Vidic. They would go on to lift the title at the end of the campaign.
LAST TIME OUT
Manchester United went top of the Premier League at this stage of a season for the first time since 2013 on Tuesday evening with a 1-0 success at Burnley.
They had Paul Pogba’s deflected second half volley to thank in an incident-packed game that saw Harry Maguire have a goal chalked off, and Luke Shaw lucky to avoid a red card.
Liverpool, meanwhile, haven’t tasted league action in almost two weeks, but eventually eased past the children of Aston Villa in the third round of the FA Cup nine days ago.
The Reds suffered defeat in their last Premier League outing – a 1-0 loss at Southampton – when they succumbed to a second minute goal from their former striker, Danny Ings.
Southampton’s Danny Ings scores against his former club in Liverpool’s last league game.
MANCHESTER UNITED SUBSTITUTES
26 Henderson, 3 Bailly, 7 Cavani, 8 Mata, 11 Greenwood, 27 Telles, 31 Matic, 34 Van de Beek, 38 Tuanzebe
MANCHESTER UNITED XI
Paul Pogba plays again after an impressive match-winning performance at Burnley in midweek, but the Frenchman moves into a more advanced position. That accommodates the return of Scott McTominay and Fred as the holding midfielders in United’s usual 4-2-3-1 shape. Elsewhere, Victor Lindelof takes the place of Eric Bailly, who drops to the bench with Nemanja Matic and Edinson Cavani. Anthony Martial leads the line.
1 De Gea; 29 Wan-Bissaka, 2 Lindelof, 5 Maguire, 23 Shaw; 39 McTominay, 17 Fred; 10 Rashford, 18 Fernandes, 6 Pogba; 9 Martial
LIVERPOOL SUBSTITUTES
62 Kelleher, 7 Milner, 15 Oxlade-Chamberlain, 17 Jones, 18 Minamino, 27 Origi, 46 R. Williams, 47 Phillips, 76 N. Williams
LIVERPOOL XI
The big news is that Joel Matip has lost his battle for fitness and so Liverpool start with two makeshift central defenders in Jordan Henderson and Fabinho. Xherdan Shaqiri starts for Jurgen Klopp’s team, who have shifted slightly to match United’s 4-2-3-1. Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Thiago and Roberto Firmino also return after being rested for the FA Cup tie with Aston Villa.
1 Alisson; 66 Alexander-Arnold, 14 Henderson, 3 Fabinho, 26 Robertson; 6 Thiago, 5 Wijnhaldum; 11 Salah, 23 Shaqiri, 10 Mane; 9 Firmino
THE TEAMSHEETS ARE IN!
RASHFORD MAKING HIS MARC
Liverpool may have had the upper hand in recent seasons, but Marcus Rashford has fared impressively well when it comes to facing the Anfield club.
The Manchester United forward has scored three goals in his last four Premier League games against the Red Birds, with these goals being worth four points to his side.
The England international is in good company too. Only Wayne Rooney (6), Andrew Cole (4) and Ryan Giggs (4) have scored more Premier League goals for the Red Devils against their old rivals.
Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring against Liverpool.
PREVIOUS MEETING
It’s almost exactly one year since these old rivals last faced off against each other, and so much has changed in the world since then.
Last January, in front of nearly 53,000 at Anfield, Virgil van Dijk headed the home side in front early on before Mo Salah sealed a 2-0 victory in stoppage time.
The result moved Liverpool 16 points clear at the top of the table in what would prove to be the successful pursuit of their first title in 30 years.
A whopping 30 points behind Liverpool were Manchester United in fifth place, but the Red Devils would rally to finish the season third.
Mo Salah scores for Liverpool in their 2-0 victory over Manchester United a year ago.
LIVERPOOL’S KLOPP MAN
Jurgen Klopp today takes charge of Liverpool in the Premier League for the 200th time since his appointment in October 2015.
The German boss has won 127 of 199 league games so far – including two against Manchester United – with only Jose Mourinho victorious in more matches during his first 200 as a manager in the competition’s history (137)
Klopp also becomes the tenth manager to reach 200 top-flight games for Liverpool, winning more of his first 200 than any of his predecessors.
Jurgen Klopp takes charge of his 200th league game as Liverpool boss.
THIS IS ANFIELD
Welcome to our live coverage of the Premier League game of the season so far. It’s the Champions versus the Challengers. It’s English football’s two most successful clubs. It’s Liverpool versus Manchester United.
Potentially season-defining, this meeting between these fierce rivals will be like none other before it with no supporters in attendance.
However, a lack of fans hasn’t stopped Liverpool from maintaining their fortress. They are unbeaten in 67 league matches at home, an astonishing run stretching all the way back to April 2017.
Jurgen Klopp has overseen the Reds’ resurgence, and this afternoon will mark a 200th Premier League game in charge for the German coach.
He will be hoping to have Joel Matip available to boost his injury hit defence as his side look to end a run of three league games without victory – by putting the old enemy back firmly in their place.
Manchester United have exceeded expectations this season to reach the top, but this contest is a true test of their title credentials.
As daunting as their opponents’ home form is, the Red Devils have been excellent on the road since their last trip here a year ago. They arrive unbeaten in 15 away matches.
It was another successful away trip – at Burnley on Tuesday – that took United to the summit, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must now deal with the fallout.
Anthony Martial and Nemanja Matic hobbled to a conclusion at Turf Moor, and the United boss is sweating on whether the pair have made timely recoveries.
We’ll have confirmation of today’s teams shortly with the action underway at Anfield at 4.30pm.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
