Ole Gunnar-Solskjaer is fighting for his job as Manchester United take on current Premier League leaders, Liverpool at Old Trafford.
Man Utd can climb back into the top ten with a win whilst Liverpool look to restore their eight point lead over Manchester City in the title race by taking all three points here.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesDavid De Gea is a major doubt for Man Utd with a groin injury, meaning that Sergio Romero will start in goal as a host of players return from injury.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka is available after missing United’s last two outings with tonsillitis whilst Phil jones is also set to return in defence after a recent injury.
Jesse Lingard (hamstring), Mason Greenwood (back) and Anthony Martial (thigh) are also available but Luke Shaw (hamstring) and Paul Pogba (ankle) are still absent despite being close to a match day squad return.
Diogo Dalot (groin), Eric Bailly and Timothy Fosu-Mensah (both knee) are all ruled out for the foreseeable future.
Liverpool could hand Alisson a first start since he limped out of their opening league game in August with a calf injury.
Mohamed Salah (ankle), Xherdan Shaqiri (calf) and Joel Matip (knock) are also set to be available as Nathaniel Clyne (knee) remains sidelined.
Form
Man Utd have won just one of their last seven league outings but have taken seven points from four home games so far this season.
Liverpool are still unbeaten domestically but have kept just three clean sheets in all competitions, of which all three came on their travels.
Stat Attack
- Manchester United have won just one of their last seven meetings with Liverpool in all competitions (W1, D5, L1).
- There has never been consecutive goalless draws in this fixture in the Premier League era, with the last such occasion coming in the old First Division in February 1976 and 1977.
- Liverpool contain the two best pass makers coming into this weekend in Andrew Robertson (598) and Virgil Van Dijk (590).
- Only Marcus Rashford (21) has produced more than 20 shots for Man Utd, compared to Liverpool who boast two players in Mohamed Salah (26) and Roberto Firmino (24) who has surpassed that amount.
- Liverpool have scored a league high five goals from outside the box coming into this weekend.
- Manchester United’s last three league goals have all come before half-time.
- Just two of Liverpool’s last five league goals have come from strikers, of which both came in the first-half respectively against Chelsea and Leicester.
Prediction
If there’s a match in which Man Utd need to win, it is this one because defeat here will surely be disastrous for both team and manager heading into another hectic run of tough fixtures.
Liverpool however are high on confidence and having previously battered an United team low on morale midway through last season like they’re again now, I am struggling to see past an away win.
Neither team however can claim defensive superiority so the back lines will be key but we shouldn’t see another consecutive goalless draw, as Liverpool should scrap together a win.
Prediction: Manchester United 1-2 Liverpool
Result: Manchester United 1-1 Liverpool