Three points will be of utmost importance when Liverpool and Manchester United lock horns at Anfield on Sunday.
Gameweek 26 of the 2022/23 Premier League season will continue on Sunday, with two games on the show. The action on the day will begin with the match between Nottingham Forest and Everton. And the main event will see Liverpool and Manchester United go head-to-head at Anfield.
The two teams have embarked on vastly different campaigns thus far, with their fortunes reversing. Manchester United might be the dark horse in the Premier League title race while already winning the season’s first trophy. On the other hand, Liverpool will do well to clinch a top-four finish after struggling all term.
The Red Devils are 11 points behind table-toppers Arsenal while having a game in hand. And with the Gunners and Manchester City dropping points recently, Manchester United might have faint hopes of winning the title. On the other hand, the Reds have enjoyed an upturn in form in the Premier League, going four games without a defeat.
The run of positive results has lifted Liverpool to 39 points, six behind Tottenham Hotspur, with a game in hand. So the Reds have a decent chance of clinching a top-four finish. But for that, Liverpool will have to topple Manchester United at Anfield this weekend.
Manchester United eked out a narrow 2-1 win in the reverse fixture, with Mohamed Salah’s late goal not enough for Liverpool to mount a comeback. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Liverpool
We’re LIVE for Jürgen Klopp's press conference as he looks ahead to Sunday’s match against Manchester United. 🎙#LIVMUN https://t.co/TSvdfyUP2G
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 3, 2023
Jurgen Klopp does not have any new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Manchester United on Sunday, the Liverpool manager will be bereft of the services of six first-team players.
Calvin Ramsay (knee), Thiago Alcantara (hip), and Luis Diaz (knee) are unavailable. In addition, Joe Gomez, Naby Keita, and Arthur face late fitness tests to determine their availability. But the trio will unlikely regain fitness in time to feature against Manchester United.
Klopp will line Liverpool up in the usual 4-3-3 formation, with Alisson Becker in the goal. And the backline picks itself, with Ibrahima Konate getting the nod over Joel Matip. Konate will be Virgil van Dijk’s central defensive partner, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson being the full-backs.
As for the midfield unit, the game’s stature might mean Jordan Henderson will return, despite his poor form. The Liverpool captain will replace Harvey Elliott in the middle of the park against Manchester United. Fabinho and Stefan Bajcetic pick themselves in the trifecta.
Meanwhile, Cody Gakpo should come in for Diogo Jota as the central striker after dropping to the bench against Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Dutchman will spearhead the Liverpool attack, with Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez being the two wide attackers. So Jota and Roberto Firmino will be backup options on the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Bajcetic; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez
Manchester United
Unlike his counterpart in the Liverpool dugout, Erik ten Hag has greeted positive updates on the team news front ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. The Manchester United manager will be without three first-team players on Sunday.
Christian Eriksen (ankle), Donny van de Beek (knee), and Anthony Martial (hip) remain on the sidelines. But Luke Shaw and Jadon Sancho should be available after recovering from their recent issues.
Leaving it all out there 👊#MUFC || #LIVMUN pic.twitter.com/csfBPqrpLq
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 3, 2023
Shaw will return to the starting eleven straightaway, taking up the left-back slot. Meanwhile, Aaron Wan-Bissaka should feature on the right flank due to Darwin Nunez’s threat. Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez pick themselves in the central defensive partnership, with David de Gea starting between the sticks.
Fred has been excellent in the last few weeks and will continue as the first-choice central midfielder. The Brazilian international will accompany compatriot Casemiro in the double pivot in the middle of the park. So Marcel Sabitzer will again be an option on the bench.
Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, and Wout Weghorst will combine to form a fluid offensive unit again. Meanwhile, Antony will remain pinned on the right flank, with Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho being backup options. But Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, and Weghorst will often interchange positions in the final third.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): de Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Fred; Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford; Weghorst
Key Stats
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last six home league games against Manchester United (W3 D3) since a 1-0 loss in January 2016. That is their longest run without defeat against the Red Devils at Anfield since a run of nine between 1970 and 1979. But Manchester United have completed the Premier League double over Liverpool more than any other side (8). They are looking to do so for the first time since 2015/16 following their 2-1 win at Old Trafford in August.
- Manchester United have scored just one goal in their last seven away games against Liverpool in all competitions, failing to find the back of the net in each of the most recent three. Only once have they failed to score in four consecutive visits to Anfield, doing so between 1988 and 1992.
- Manchester United have lost just one of their last 11 Premier League games (W8 D2), going down 3-2 at Arsenal in January. Since the resumption of the competition following the World Cup break, no side has won more points than the Red Devils (23). Meanwhile, the Red Devils have scored in their last 15 Premier League games, the longest current run in the competition and their longest since a streak of 17 between February and October 2020.
- Mohamed Salah is Liverpool’s all-time highest goalscorer against Manchester United in all competitions with ten goals. Nine of those strikes have come in his last five appearances against them, with the Egyptian netting in every match in that run.
- Since the start of the 2017/18 season, no player has scored more goals against Liverpool in all competitions than Marcus Rashford (6, level with Harry Kane). However, all six strikes against the Reds have come at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, Rashford has scored ten goals in his last ten Premier League games, netting in his most recent five appearances.
Player to Watch
Mohamed Salah
2️⃣0️⃣+ goals in every season as a Red…
🇪🇬 @MoSalah 👑 pic.twitter.com/dgTHnvtHJF
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 4, 2023
In such a big game, one will often find many players who can singlehandedly turn the tie on its head. And while players like Marcus Rashford and Casemiro will be under the spotlight, Mohamed Salah is our player to watch for the latest instalment of the Northwest Derby. This comes amid uncertainties surrounding his future.
The Egyptian has quietly gone about his business while racking up solid numbers this season. But he has been unable to inspire Liverpool to another memorable campaign. That can turn against Manchester United this weekend. And considering Salah enjoys playing against the Red Devils, he will be eager to make his mark on Sunday.
Prediction
Liverpool 1-1 Manchester United
Liverpool might be turning a corner at long last in a disastrous 2022/23 season thus far. But their recent run of clean sheets will likely end against an inspired Manchester United. The Red Devils can do little wrong under Erik ten Hag and are going from strength to strength.
But Mohamed Salah relishes facing Manchester United and invariably finds the back of the net in these fixtures. The Reds also have a decent home record against Big Six opposition in recent years. And Liverpool might temporarily halt the Manchester United juggernaut by holding the visitors to a stalemate.
Jurgen Klopp has already hyped up the latest instalment of the Northwest Derby by calling it “the derby”. And form often goes out of the window in such historically feisty fixtures. So The Hard Tackle predicts Liverpool and Manchester United to play out a 1-1 draw.
