Good afternoon everyone and welcome to The42′s live coverage of this evening’s Premier League clash between Manchester United and Liverpool.
It really doesn’t get any bigger than this and we’ll be following all the action from Old Trafford as it happens.
Kick-off isn’t until 5.30pm but stick with us for all the build-up – including the all important team news – between now and then.
The teamsheets are in and there’s big news from both camps.
For Man United, Wayne Rooney – as was reported earlier – misses out through injury while David de Gea returns to the side after signing a new long-term contract yesterday.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have included Danny Ings alongside Christian Benteke.
Here’s a look at the teams in full:
De Gea, Carrick and Fellaini start for the hosts with Romero, Schneiderlin and Rooney dropping out. New signing Anthony Martial is named on the bench.
And here’s the XI Brendan Rodgers has gone for at Old Trafford:
With less than 15 minutes remaining in the 3pm kick-offs, here’s a quick look at the current state of play around the Premier League:
- Everton 3-1 Chelsea
- Arsenal 1-0 Stoke
- Crystal Palace 0-0 Man City
- Norwich 3-0 Bournemouth
- Watford 1-0 Swansea
- West Brom 0-0 Southampton
If you missed it earlier, Wayne Rooney is unavailable due to a hamstring injury sustained in training yesterday. Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the game, Louis van Gaal says ‘it’s not too serious but we cannot take a risk.’
Here’s more on the big team news.
Atmosphere is building at Old Trafford. Not long until kick-off now.
These are the options available to each manager from the bench this evening.
Man United: Romero, McNair, Rojo, Schneiderlin, Valencia, Young, Martial.
Liverpool: Bogdan, Toure, Sakho, Moreno, Origi, Rossiter, Ibe.
Man United have won just one of their last four league outings at home, although Liverpool have also struggled away from Anfield.
The Reds have won just one of their last seven Premier League away fixtures.
The teams emerge from the tunnel and we’re nearly all set for kick-off.
Here we go, strap yourself in.
United, in their traditional red kit, will defend the Stretford End in this first-half while Liverpool are sporting their rather sumptuous all white away strip.
Kick-off! And we’re away.
United seeing all the early possession as both teams look to settle into the contest. Glorious evening for football in Manchester.
Huge cheer as David de Gea touches the ball for the first time this evening, before a chorus of ‘David de Gea’ chants rings around Old Trafford.
United continue to pass the ball around crisply with Liverpool sitting in a rigid formation and happy to keep their shape in the early exchanges.
What is Mignolet doing? The Liverpool goalkeeper gathers a ball forward and immediately looks to roll it out to Joe Gomez but his throw deflects off Mata’s leg and falls for Fellaini.
The United man can’t keep his effort down with his Belgian team-mate off his line.
It’s been a bright start for the hosts as they look to catch their rivals cold. On this occasion, Depay embarks on a run down the left and it appears Lovren hauls him down but the referee isn’t interested.
It’s been all United in these opening 10 minutes.
United cut through Liverpool again but the visitors survive.
Darmian is played in down the right by Carrick and after cutting it back from the byline, Herrera misses it and Fellaini can’t sort his feet out. Encouraging signs for Louis van Gaal, however.
A lack of communication sees Clyne concede a corner. Herrera looked to play Depay in behind but the Dutchman wasn’t on the same wave length and had checked back, but Clyne wasn’t to know and puts it out for a corner.
Liverpool remain firm but United continue to apply the pressure with another corner.
United have been dominant so far but have yet to really test Mignolet. Fellaini is leading the line but his natural tendency is to drop a bit deeper.
Gomez swings over a cross towards Benteke and although Shaw does enough to clear, it only falls for the on-rushing Clyne but his shot was tame.
United have enjoyed plenty of possession but have yet to fashion an opening. Fellaini attempts to run in behind and stretch the Liverpool defence but he can’t time his run and is flagged offside.
63% possession for the hosts but as we’ve seen already this season, they’ve struggled to create goalscoring chances. They look in the mood today and Depay offers a genuine threat down the left every time he gets on the ball.
Mata gifts possession to Ings in midfield and the Liverpool forward plays a delightful ball over the top for Benteke. But the Belgian is muscled off the ball by Daley Blind. It seems a mismatch but Benteke hasn’t had a sniff as of yet.
Mata swings in a set-piece from the right and Mignolet confidently comes off his line to rise highest and catch. That was much better from the Liverpool goalkeeper.
Coming up to the half hour mark and there’s not a lot to talk about so far. United have seen plenty of the ball but don’t look like going anywhere with it and Liverpool’s game plan is clearly to sit back and absorb the pressure and hope to break quickly.
Not a lot to tell you about, in truth.
It’s been pretty uninspiring stuff so far, although the crowd are trying their best to make something happen.
Can finds space between the lines and plays a perfectly weighted ball through for Benteke but the striker is offside and the promising position is gone.
Look who’s in the house:
United surge forward with a bit more pace and purpose and after Shaw and Depay link well down the left, the cross is just too high for Herrera and the ball then bounces off Fellaini’s knee as he attempts to control it.
The groans from the crowd tell you everything. 5 minutes until the break.
It hasn’t been what we’ve come to expect from these high-profile Premier League games. There’s been no real tempo, intensity or atmosphere to the first 42 minutes at Old Trafford and that really sums up the current situation both clubs find themselves in.
And that’s half-time!
Whoops!
We couldn't find this Tweet
Here’s the half-time stats:
Ashley Young is coming on for Memphis Depay at half-time. Both teams are back out.
And we’re off again.
Young has slotted straight in on the left. We might hear for that change was enforced but interested move from van Gaal considering Depay looked United’s most potent threat in that first-half.
Young looks to make an immediate impact as he gets the ball down and runs at Clyne. The full-back brings his man down on the edge of the area and is booked by Michael Oliver.
Great position here for United.
GOAL! Man United 1-0 Liverpool (Daley Blind)
What a goal! United execute a perfect training ground move from the free-kick as Blind is teed-up and has acres of space to stroke the ball into the corner corner with his left foot.
Old Trafford is rocking as LVG celebrates in the dugout.
United are sweeping forward now. Skrtel just about gets his head to the ball to put it out for a corner before Schweinsteiger fails to control a cross a couple of yards out from goal. That Blind goal was the moment of inspiration this game needed.
United have come storming out of the blocks after half-time and Liverpool have had no answer.
Everytime you look back at that goal, you appreciate even more. Schweinsteiger made a late dart into the box to make the space for Blind and Mata’s ball was perfectly weighted for the Dutchman to come onto – without breaking stride – and curl it home.
Out of nothing Liverpool very nearly equalise. De Gea uncharacteristically gives the ball away and Firmino’s low cross looks certain to find the unmarked Benteke but Smalling intervenes with an outstretched leg.
That was a wake-up call for United.
De Gea called into action again. Ings makes a run from midfield and isn’t picked up but he’s just unable to get the purchase on his shot and it’s easy in the end for the United goalkeeper to tip it around the post.
There’s been more action in the first 12 minutes of this half than there was in the whole of the opening period.
Lovren is in all sorts of trouble as he lets the ball bounce and Fellaini is quickly onto it. In the end, the Liverpool defender brings his man down and is fortunate to escape any further punishment.
Good position here for United, 25 yards from goal.
Young steps up ahead of Mata but sends his effort over the bar. 30 minutes remaining at Old Trafford.
So close! Daley Blind clears it off the line and then, somehow, Firmino can’t stab it home from close range.
Anthony Martial is ready and waiting to make his Manchester United debut. Juan Mata is the man to make way and the French teenager receives a huge ovation. What a moment for him.
Penalty! Gomez recklessly slides through Herrera with the United midfielder going nowhere. Michael Oliver has no option but to point to the spot.
GOAL! Man United 2-0 Liverpool (Ander Herrera)
The Spaniard steps up and hammers it past Mignolet into the top of the net. That should be that, you’d imagine.
Last change for United as Carrick makes way for Schneiderlin.
Last throw of the dice from Rodgers as he sends Divock Origi on to replace Danny Ings. Meanwhile, James Milner wastes a good opportunity as he balloons a free-kick well over de Gea’s crossbar. It’s been one of those days for the visitors.
Milner is trying to rally the troops and he makes up good ground to reach the ball before it goes over the end line but Benteke can’t direct his header on target.
A penny for his thoughts.
Still eight minutes remaining but Liverpool have no urgency about that and don’t really look interested at this stage. Abject performance from the visitors.
And suddenly Origi springs the Reds into life with a purposeful run and a fine effort but de Gea is up to it and pushes it over.
GOAL! Man United 2-1 Liverpool (Benteke)
WHAT A GOAL!
Benteke. Out of nothing.
Origi’s cross is headed up rather than out by Blind and the big Belgian acrobatically volleys it past de Gea from 14 yards out. Stunning technique and execution from Benteke.
Goal! Man United 3-1 Liverpool (Martial)
My word! Martial – with what must be one of his first touches – skips past a couple of Liverpool defenders before curling past Mignolet from a tight angle. Old Trafford erupts.
Absolutely incredible couple of minutes. We’ve just seen two stunning pieces of individual brilliance and now United’s lead is surely safe.
Martial picked the ball up on the left and he ran at Skrtel and Clyne, weaves in between the two and then has the composure to calmly slot it into the corner.
‘What a waste of money,’ the United fans sing.
This game was heading for a flat denouement but it’s reached a thrilling climax. That Martial goal brings back memories of Kiko Macheda’s debut goal against Aston Villa. What a moment for the teenager.
Three minutes of injury time as Gary Neville gives Daley Blind the Sky Sports man-of-the-match.
He’d only been on the pitch for 20 minutes but Anthony Martial – now the world’s most expensive teenager – scored with his first shot for Manchester United.
The Theatre of Dreams is rocking as the clock ticks down.
Full-time! And that’s it. Still trying to catch our breathes here as United record a hugely significant three points. For Liverpool, it was another worrying afternoon.
We’re off to catch our breath after that enthralling second-half. You can read our match report right here and there will be plenty more reaction to follow on the site throughout the evening.
