Hello and welcome to this afternoon’s liveblog.
Both of these sides had entertaining 3-3 draws last time out, let’s hope today’s clash is just as entertaining.
Will the drab Manchester United we have become so accustomed to restore order today with lateral passing and unimaginative attacking play?
Will Jurgen Klopp continue his excellent Premier League record against England’s top teams following wins against Chelsea, Manchester City and Leicester?
We’ll find out in the next couple of hours as the action unfolds.
Kick-off is at the awfully precise time of 14.05 and the game is live on Sky Sports 1.
Team news to follow shortly.
So Liverpool make one change from the Arsenal draw, and it’s a tactical one with Lucas coming in for Jordon Ibe. Klopp is clearly targeting the midfield battle today.
Manchester United are unchanged from Tuesday’s game at Newcastle.
This fixture has given us plenty of memories over the years and needs little introduction.
So let’s ignore the mediocrity and inconsistency these two have offered us at times in recent times and take a walk down memory lane.
Jamie Carragher’s multiple own goals, the Suarez v Evra saga, Fernando Torres roasting Nemanja Vidic, heck even Diego Forlan scored a double at Anfield back in the day.
Here are some of the highlights from their clash earlier this season to get you in the mood.
*Warning – it may make you miss Gary Neville a little bit.
A win would put Liverpool level on points (34) with United and get them back amongst the European challenge.
These two could well end up, eh, fighting it out for a Europa League spot come May – how times have changed.
Let us know how you see this one panning out – Fellaini to not score and get sent off perhaps?
Now T minus five minutes.
A five-goal win for Liverpool would see them pass United in the table – you never know I guess.
Both managers have also shared their pre-match thoughts:
LVG
“Liverpool is a different team to Newcastle. It is a more pressing team and they take more risks. They have changed a striker for a midfielder from what I can see so maybe they don’t take so many risks. We shall see? We shall have to see how the match develops.
“It shall probably be an open match and we have to adapt to that and read the game as a team. Liverpool can play football but we can do that the same. We have to read the game and beat the opponent.
“The key to the game is which team can keep hold of the ball under the pressure from the opponent.”
Klopp
“We are not a high pressing game, we press where the ball is. Pressing is not only high pressing. Louis van Gaal has had so much success with the way he likes football.”
When asked about the reason for bringing in Lucas, he added: “Being defensive isn’t the reason – we have to think how we can react in a game”
And then added some bland words about nothing – of the joys of pre-match press interviews…
“We know what we have to do and what we have to show. Before the result, let’s think about the performance.”
Come on Jurgen you can do better than that.
And they’re off at Anfield.
A bright start – serious atmosphere in Liverpool, as you’d expect.
It’s started at a good tempo – Martial on the left and Lingard on the right to begin with for the away side, who are in white and attacking the Kop end in the first half.
Nothing of note to report as of yet. It’s been cagey enough. Daley Blind whipped in a free kick in an attacking position but it was easily dealt with by Liverpool.
Phil Jones is in the stands amongst the fans – odd.
Nasty head clash between Fellaini and Lucas – even the Belgian’s head of hair couldn’t cushion that. Ouch.
Both men playing the ball, the United player came off worse and won a free kick for his troubles. He’s back on and fit to continue.
Finally some on-field drama.
What a ball from Lucas, high and arcing over Smalling and Lallana gets his head to it at the edge of the area. Good save from De Gea though and the follow-up effort scurries just wide of the post.
United caught out by pace there.
Liverpool having joy with long balls over the top.
United caught narrow again and Firmino finds Milner with a delicious cross-field half-volley. The England international can only blaze over though under pressure from Darmien. Liverpool on top here.
Fellaini clearly ruffled after that head clash and gets himself in a spot of bother with Mark Clattenberg.
He throws Milner out of the way before having a kick at Lucas – he’s lucky not to get booked there.
Lucas late on Herrera, first booking can’t be far away. Clattenburg is clearly allowing a bit more aggro considering the occasion.
He’ll need to settle this down though if it continues.
Liverpool have been the much the better side so far, they’re having plenty of joy down the right flank; Milner, Henderson and Firmino all happy to run that channel when required.
Both in 3-3 draw last week – hard to imagine anything similar today at this rate. Should be plenty of cards though – it’s been nice and feisty so far at least.
All the action is on the one wing. Great run from Darmien down the left, that’s about as positive as United have been.
Liverpool are giving United very little time on the ball and breaking at speed.
Lucas has been excellent, he just needs to keep his head.
This was the scene after Fellaini’s nasty head clash with Lucas earlier on. Both were fine to continue.
Rooney has been pretty isolated so far – Sakho and Toure have had very little to deal with.
Mignolet hasn’t even had to face a corner yet – I’m sure he’ll be happy if things stay that way.
CHANCE – Henderson knocks a decent chance wide after some excellent inter-play between Lallana and Lucas.
United could do with someone sitting in front of the back four.
Neither Schneiderlin nor Fellaini seem to be sitting back with any regularity.
United have just had their best spell of attacking play.
It all started with a great tackle by Fellaini. Martial took on Liverpool and switched the play. A wide ball towards the big Belgian rewards United with a corner.
Mignolet survives it though. United winning very little in the air today.
Fellaini starting to get much more involved now – and in a good way. He works the ball out wide to Rooney who takes on Toure. The big Ivorian still has the gas though and knocks it out for a corner.
Liverpool deal well with that and the follow-up cross only to break like the Mighty Ducks.
They really are counter-attacking at brilliant speed. It’s a shame they don’t have someone clinical enough to make the most of it. This is where the Shane Long transfer talk got traction this week; plenty pointed out how he would fit their pacey counter-attacking style.
Firmino goes down under pressure from Martial – it was never a penalty. Five to go until the break.
An injured Ashley Young has been substituted by Cameron Borthwick-Jackson.
It looked like a groin injury for United’s right back. Darmien shifts flanks and Borthwick-Jackson takes his spot on the busy left wing.
HT: Liverpool 0 Manchester United 0
It was no classic but entertaining enough considering the bland stuff these sides, particularly United, have served up this season.
Liverpool are at least trying to be creative and have clearly been the better side. Hard to point out one United player who had an effective first half in attack.
At least they’re consistent? This from last week.
Lucas (pictured left) has probably been the standout player today – it’s looking like a shrewd move by Klopp to bring him in for this one.
We’re back under way
As D:Ream famously said: “Things can only get better”
Surely.
I’d love to say it’s been a much-improved second spell. But after five minutes in it’s more of the same.
SCRATCH THAT – Great chance for Can but De Gea gets a touch on it with the inside of his left leg and the ball goes wide of the post.
That was better and the crowd are really coming alive.
United are sitting very deep at the moment – possibly because they were getting so exposed sitting higher up the field in the first half.
Liverpool are really on the up at the moment but their latest corner is cleared well. Clyne picks it up way out and launches it high into the stands.
Electric atmosphere now.
United starting to show a bit more spark in attacking areas.
Martial goes close with a left-footed effort but he drags it just wide.
Kolo Toure has been excellent, best I’ve seen him play for a while.
In other football news, Real Madrid are now 4-0 up after 17 minutes against Sporting Gijon. What exactly was Rafa doing?
We don’t need four goals – one or two would be nice though.
United are starting to dictate the tempo a bit more now. Finally starting to see Schneiderlin get on the ball in midfield.
Liverpool possibly starting to tire after a lung-busting hour of high-intensity football.
Juan Mata and Christian Benteke must surely be on the minds of their respective coaches at the moment.
CHANCE – Great football from Firmino. He does really well out wide left and finds Henderson in space on the edge of the area. The England midfielder can only sidefoot it into De Gea’s arms though – he should have done better with that.
Smalling is booked for a pull on Firmino – it’s probably deserved; he’s had a few of them today.
Mata on for Lingard – the youngster had a very quiet afternoon.
David De Gea – what a goalkeeper.
Emre Can creates a bit of space and fires a piledriver towards the top corner. The Spanish stopper is up to the challenge and gets a hand to it. As if that wasn’t enough he claws away the follow-up shot with like a basketball-style rejection. Put that in your pipe …
Mata has already improved this United team; he’s linking up well with his midfield colleague and Wayne Rooney. It looks a good substitution by LVG.
CHANCE – Sakho mistimed his leap at the back post from a stand-up cross.
School report reads: Must do better
I’m putting this one out to the commenters – when was the last time Adam Lallana played the full 90 minutes? I’d love to know.
He’s replaced by Jordon Ibe – 15 to play at Anfield.
Second half has been a bit better at least; a goal would be wonderful though.
Liverpool 0 Man United 1 (Rooney ’78)
Another goal conceded from a corner for Liverpool, a short one this time to Mata who swings it in from the left flank. Fellaini rises highest and his header hits the bar only to fall at the feet of one Wayne Rooney. And the United number 10 makes no mistake, rifling a half-volley into the roof of the net.
Can’t say United deserve it but what does that matter in this results game.
Thrilling 10 minutes to come now. Benteke coming on for Toure, who has had a good game.
United are under a bit of pressure here but Liverpool are struggling to fashion a clear chance.
Caulker on for Milner – strange one. Long balls on the way you’d imagine.
Three minutes of added time to be played.
FT: Liverpool 0 Manchester United 1
How did they win that?
A smash and grab of massive proportions.
It’s a huge win for Louis van Gaal. Rooney was anonymous for most of the game but delivered when it counted.
De Gea was excellent as always and adds another man of the match award to his bulging trophy cabinet.
Liverpool may really consider buying themselves a goalscorer in the transfer window – they create the chances but can’t put them away and Klopp clearly isn’t a fan of Benteke.
Throwing Caulker on for the last few minutes says it all.
Not exactly a game for the ages but an important one nonetheless – United now up to fifth and just two points outside the Champions League places.
Thanks for joining us for the liveblog today – report and reaction to come.