Northern rivals will face off in Sunday's Premier League showdown at Anfield, as title contenders Liverpool host a struggling Manchester United. Currently, Liverpool holds a commanding 23-point lead over their longtime adversaries in the league, continuing their pursuit of glory while Manchester United, under pressure, nervously looks over their shoulder.
Liverpool enters the match in impressive form, with no signs of the dip in performance some had anticipated. Under the guidance of Arne Slot, the Reds ended 2024 on a high, demolishing West Ham 5-0 on December 29.
Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota, and Cody Gakpo were all on the scoresheet, pushing Liverpool to their fourth consecutive win across all competitions and extending their unbeaten streak to an extraordinary 23 matches. Their last loss came in mid-September, when Nottingham Forest shocked them at Anfield.
The Reds are currently six points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table, with a game in hand. They’ve scored at least two goals in each of their last 11 Premier League matches, and their attacking form shows no signs of slowing down. Each of their last three victories saw Liverpool net three or more goals.
While defensive struggles away from home have occasionally surfaced, their 1-0 win over West Ham marked the end of a four-match run without a clean sheet, and they are now the best-performing team at home in the league.
In contrast, Manchester United, led by Ruben Amorim, is reeling after a 4th consecutive defeat, this time at the hands of Newcastle United on December 30. A disastrous first half saw Alexander Isak and Joelinton dominate the aerial game, and despite a slight improvement in the second half following a substitution, United could not recover. Their fourth straight league loss at Old Trafford has left them languishing in 14th place, just seven points above the relegation zone.
United has now failed to score in three consecutive league matches, and there’s growing concern that they may face four successive league games without finding the back of the net for the first time in over a century. The team’s struggles have become a recurring theme under both Erik ten Hag and, more recently, Amorim.
Despite these dire statistics, their recent head-to-head record with Liverpool offers some hope. Manchester United has won two of their last four meetings with the Reds, and they managed a 0-0 draw in last season’s fixture despite Liverpool’s dominant performance, having fired 34 shots at United’s goal. However, their most recent encounter in September saw Liverpool run riot with a 3-0 win at Old Trafford, thanks in part to a stellar performance from Mohamed Salah.
As Liverpool continues its charge toward the title, Manchester United will need to find some form quickly to avoid further embarrassment and potentially slip into the relegation battle.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Liverpool's dominant win over West Ham was slightly overshadowed by a hamstring injury to Joe Gomez, who will be out for a few weeks. However, Slot confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Ibrahima Konaté (knee) and Conor Bradley (thigh) are both expected to return to full training on Friday.
That said, with only a couple of days of training under their belts after long spells on the sidelines, it’s likely that Jarell Quansah will partner Virgil van Dijk at centre-back on Sunday, unless Konaté makes a rapid recovery to prove he's fit in time.
Liverpool can also bring Dominik Szoboszlai back into the fold after he served a one-match suspension at West Ham, though Curtis Jones might be hard to drop after his impressive assist for Mohamed Salah’s 17th Premier League goal of the season on December 29.
Speaking of suspensions, Manchester United’s Manuel Ugarte and Bruno Fernandes are both available to play again after missing the game against Newcastle, and Amorim will likely bring them straight back into the starting lineup.
The same goes for Kobbie Mainoo, who shone in United’s midfield after replacing the visibly frustrated Joshua Zirkzee. Zirkzee, along with veteran midfielders Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, will likely remain in the team.
As for Marcus Rashford, who has been linked with a move away, he may miss out due to illness. Meanwhile, Mason Mount (thigh), Victor Lindelof (undisclosed), and Luke Shaw (calf) continue their recoveries.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Diaz
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Martinez; Mazraoui, Mainoo, Ugarte, Dalot; Diallo, Fernandes; Hojlund
EXPERT PREDICTION
Liverpool 4-0 Manchester United
Manchester United are struggling in attack, defensively exposed, and finding it hard to adapt to Amorim's system. They’re at serious risk of being overrun at Anfield, though the expected returns of Ugarte, Mainoo, and Fernandes should at least improve their performance compared to the dismal display against Newcastle.
United’s fanbase will likely travel with a sense of fleeting hope rather than real expectation. It's easy to envision Liverpool repeating their 3-0 victory from Old Trafford, further boosting their title ambitions while potentially putting a serious dent in United’s Premier League survival hopes.
