Man U vs. Liverpool
Venue: Old Trafford
Kick off: 3:05PM
Already the biggest fixture in English football, today’s meeting between Manchester United and Liverpool will seem that bit bigger with the hosts chasing top-four football and the visitors bidding for a first top-flight title since 1990.
The two clubs have won 38 league titles between them, and Liverpool’s hopes of adding another to that tally could hinge on how they fare at the home of their greatest rivals.
It was a match against Liverpool just over two months ago which brought an end to Jose Mourinho’s ill-fated Manchester United reign and ushered in the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era.
Still only in interim charge, the Norwegian would surely secure the job on a permanent basis if his side are able to beat the very team, which ultimately forced the sacking of his predecessor.
Solskjaer has passed almost every test which has come his way with flying colours so far, winning 11 of his 13 matches at the helm across all competitions, including eight of his nine Premier League games.
It is not only a record which puts him at the top of the list of United’s illustrious list of managers; should the Red Devils avoid defeat on Sunday then Solskjaer will have picked up more points from his first 10 games in charge than any other manager in Premier League history.
The scale of the turnaround has been seismic, and while the initial upturn may have been as much down to Mourinho’s cloud being lifted as Solskjaer’s appointment, the continuation of their good form can only be attributed to the interim boss.
The Norwegian has already beaten Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Chelsea in his short spell at the helm, with the only blot on his copybook coming in the Champions League against the might of Paris Saint-Germain.
Liverpool’s visit may pose a threat of similar proportions, but while in December they travelled to Anfield with the very real fear of utter embarrassment, now they will welcome their fiercest rivals with the very real belief that they can come away with all three points – something which would fittingly accentuate the transformation of the team under Solskjaer’s tenure.
The prospect of damaging Liverpool’s title hopes may be an even bigger incentive for United than securing their own place in the top four too, with the 20-time champions currently sitting one point above both Arsenal and Chelsea in the final Champions League spot.
To even be fighting for Champions League football again next season is incredible considering their December defeat to Liverpool left them 11 points off the top four, although Solskjaer will be the first to tell his team that their turnaround is not complete yet.
Liverpool have scored in all of their Premier League away games this term it is a concern which needs to be addressed if United are to come away with the desired result from this showdown, although it has been almost a month since their last top-flight outing at Old Trafford, when they needed two late goals to rescue a 2-2 draw with Burnley.
Today’s visitors are unlikely to let such a lead slip, should they be afforded it.
Man Utd possible XI: De Gea, Young, Bailly, Lindelof, Shaw, Herrera, Matic, Pogba, Mata, Rashford, Martial.
Liverpool possible XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita, Salah, Firmino, Mane.