The details
Venue – Anfield, Liverpool
Referee – Craig Pawson
Date & Time – Sunday, January 19th @ 16:30
Current Odds – Liverpool 2/5, Draw 15/4, Manchester United 6/1
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Anfield welcomes the old enemy this weekend. Manchester United make the short trek from Salford to Merseyside for Sunday evening’s clash. No matter the circumstances, this game always makes for a huge occasion. Sometimes the occasion can prove too big for the players. Let’s hope that’s not the case on Sunday.
Form
Liverpool Form
14 points clear of Manchester City with a game-in-hand. 20 wins from 21 Premier League games. The best ever ‘start’ to a league season in any of Europe’s top five leagues ever… EVER. I keep saying it but I fear some of us may not be grasping the gargantuan achievements of Jurgen Klopp’s Red machine. It won’t last forever so pinch yourself, make sure you’re taking it all in, and bask in the glory of this side.
Manchester United Form
Manchester United have had a poor campaign so far, yet, such is the standard of teams outside the top four, they have still managed to claw their way back up to 5th in recent weeks.
Marcus Rashford is having the best season of his young career to-date, notching up 14 goals in 22 league appearances. He has already surpassed previous tally he amassed any other season, and it’s only January. Unfortunately for Liverpool, Rashford likes to pitch in with the odd goal against us, although he’s yet to score at Anfield.
Anthony Martial has also been enjoying his football lately. Klopp knows The Reds’ defence must be well-structured and compact to keep Martial and Rashford quiet.
Team news
Liverpool Team News
James Milner, Naby Keita and Nathaniel Clyne are all out through injury with Milner and Keita expected to return to full training next week.
In the past few days, Fabinho, Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren have all featured in first-team full sessions at Melwood. I think Fabinho and Matip may both be on the bench.
This means that Jordan Henderson is likely to start in the ‘6’ role at the base of Liverpool’s midfield with Gini Wijnaldum and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in front of him.
Alisson Becker will be in goals behind the regular back-four of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson.
Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané are all set to start so The Reds will be at full strength in attack.
Manchester United Team News
It’s not getting any easier for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Currently, Manchester United are missing Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay, Axel Tuanzebe, Marcos Rojo and Luke Shaw because of various injuries.
Eric Bailly and Timothy Fosu-Mensah are on the mend but this Sunday’s game comes just too soon for either player.
Solskjaer favours a 4-2-3-1 formation for United at the moment so expect Marcus Rashford on the left behind the lone striker, Anthony Martial.
Youngster Brandon Williams could be playing at left-back in place of the injured Shaw.
Predicted lineups
Liverpool XI (4-3-3) – Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Wijnaldum, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Salah, Firmino, Mané
Manchester United XI (4-2-3-1) – De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Williams; Matic, Fred; James, Pereira, Rashford; Martial
When they last met
Manchester United is the only team to have taken a point from Liverpool in this season’s Premier League. Yes, after 21 games, Liverpool have drawn one and won the other 20. On that day back in October, Marcus Rashford gave United a first-half lead but Adam Lallana, on as a sub, equalised for Jurgen Klopp’s men in the last five minutes.
Last season’s game at Anfield was Jose Mourinho’s last fixture in charge of the Old Trafford club. Sadio Mané and Xherdan Shaqiri (x2) scored for Liverpool while Jesse Lingard bagged United’s consolation strike.
Prediction
LIVERPOOL 2 – 0 MANCHESTER UNITED
This should be another home win for Liverpool, continuing their 100% Anfield record in the 2019/20 Premier League. United are, as they have been for 10 months now, struggling to show any real consistency.
Jurgen Klopp’s Redmen make up the best club football team on the planet right now. They will be looking to keep what would be a 7th consecutive clean sheet in all competitions. Let’s show United who’s back on their perch come Sunday.
