Man Utd vs Liverpool - predictions
Liverpool face an almighty challenge this Sunday in their fight for the Premier League title, travelling to Old Trafford to face bitter foes Manchester United.
The Reds beat Sheffield United 3-1 on Thursday evening to reclaim top spot but they are currently in a three-way battle for the title alongside Arsenal and Manchester City.
With both their rivals in action on Saturday, there will be huge pressure on Liverpool to come away from Manchester with all three points this Sunday.
Trips to Old Trafford are always tricky for Jurgen Klopp and his players, who lost there in this season's FA Cup quarter-final, but Man Utd fell to an incredibly late 4-3 defeat at Chelsea on Thursday night and are under enormous pressure themselves after a torrid campaign.
Here is how Anfield Watch's writers think this weekend's match might play out.
Ewan Ross-Murray: Liverpool will, yet again, be strong favourites for Sunday's trip to Old Trafford, and that's what is perhaps most concerning to supporters.
The Reds were supposed to fill their boots in both previous meetings this season but failed to win either, most recently suffering an agonising late defeat in the FA Cup.
History suggests that the favourites don't always win clashes between these teams and even a United side in permanent crisis are capable of causing the Reds issues.
If Liverpool can put in a more clinical display than in their March visit to Old Trafford, then they should come away with victory, but Klopp's side have shown that they can struggle when hit on the counter-attack this term.
It feels like a must-win game for the Reds, but I think they may have to settle for a draw.
Man Utd 2-2 Liverpool
Sam McGuire: The 7-0 loss to Liverpool is Erik Ten Hag’s only defeat against the Reds in four matches. Annoyingly, he actually has a decent record against Jurgen Klopp in these ties.
His United side picked up three points at Old Trafford last season and knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup last month. They also held the Premier League leaders to a draw at Anfield in December.
The hosts will want to, once again, use this fixture as a springboard for their disappointing season. A win on Sunday could give them the boost needed to mount an unlikely top-four finish. This is their final, and they’ll treat it as such.
Form really is irrelevant. Yet I feel Liverpool will want to right the wrongs of last month and they’ll take this game much more seriously than they did the cup game. Returning players are sharper and there’s been an international break which allowed others the chance to recharge.
I’m going with a Liverpool win. The players will want Klopp to go out on a high and a final win at Old Trafford is a nice leaving gift.
Man Utd 1-3 Liverpool
Andy Headspeath: Liverpool playing Manchester United is always massive, but this feels even massive-er.
With just eight games to run this season and City starting to do City things, it's imperative that the Reds just keep winning. A victory here at a ground where Jurgen Klopp has not had much luck over the years would be a huge confidence boost going into the final stretch.
While the leads held over their rivals at the time are hardly comparable, dare I say a good win against United would have shades of the 2-0 in the 2019/20 season that led so many to fully believe the title was actually on.
United may have just one fit centre back this weekend and continue to look like a total mess. No-one is expecting five or seven goals this time, but three points should be doable if Jurgen Klopp's men stay clinical and play the opponent not the occasion.
Please. Man Utd 1-2 Liverpool