Fourth play sixth in today’s Premier League clash, but it feels slightly more important than that. The two most successful teams in England meet as Liverpool travel to Old Trafford hoping to snap Man Utd’s nine match winning run.
Liverpool are coming off the back of successive poor league and cup results against Sunderland,Plymouth and Southampton. They must play without Sadio Mané, who’s on Africa Cup of Nations duty, why they also have to leave Joel Matip out of their squad for today’s clash due to continued uncertainty over his eligibility.
Kick-off is 4pm. Enjoy.
Here’s how they’ll lineup:
Manchester United
De Gea
Valencia
Jones
Rojo
Darmian
Carrick
Herrera
Mkhitaryan
Pogba
Martial
Ibrahimovic.
Subs: Romero, Fellaini, Blind, Smalling, Rooney, Mata, Rashford.
Liverpool
Mignolet
Alexander-Arnold
Lovren
Klavan
Milner
Henderson
Can
Lallana
Wijnaldum
Firmino
Origi.
Subs: Karius, Gomez, Moreno, Stewart, Ejaria, Coutinho, Sturridge.
Jurgen Klopp: “It’s exciting. It’s a difficult game of course. I read in the programme notes there was no ‘welcome to Liverpool’ and then I wanted a coffee, it was tea.” The mind games begin.”
Here we go! Liverpool tip-off.
Liverpool are lining up with a diamond formation in midfield. Adam Lallana is in the number 10 role, with Firmino and Divock Origi spearheading the attack.
It’s been a slow start to this one as both sides have struggled to get their foot on the ball and pass it.
Anthony Martial goes down under a fairly innocuous challenge from Lovren but referee Michael Oliver waves play-on. Martial looks lively today.
CHANCE! Zlatan Ibrahimovic attacks the ball at the far post but he can’t pull it back into play as Mignolet looks relieved to see the ball go wide. Great ball in by Martial there.
The last time these clubs played out two scoreless draws in the same season was 1920, so hopefully we’ll see a goal or two today.
Pogba loses possession in midfield which lets in a Liverpool chance, before he fluffs a golden chance at the far end.
It’s all Man Utd now who have finally warmed up in this game. Mkhitaryan whips in a dangerous cross but Mignolet collects. Liverpool are struggling to retain possession when they come out from the back.
FREE! Lovren and Klavan head for the United penalty area after Origi draws a foul from Pogba. Milner is going to swing this in.
SAVE! Origi doesn’t get enough on his touch as the ball bounces dangerously around the United box. De Gea takes it safely in.
PENALTY! Paul Pogba handled the ball from a corner and Molner has the chance to put them 1-0 up.
GOAL! Milner smacks it into the right-hand side of De Gea’s goalmouth. Could the Spaniard have done better there?
GOAL! Man Utd 0-1 Liverpool (Milner, pen 27′)
FOUL! Lovren catches Martial with a dangerous tackle and he picks up a yellow card. Martial is back on his feet and Henderson puts Mkhitaryan’s free out for a corner.
Herrera wins a free-kick right on the edge of the area. Zlatan’s going to take it…
SAVE! Ibrahimovic drills the low free-kick low towards the bottom corner but Mignolet is equal to it. There was some serious power behind that strike.
Mata, Rashford and Rooney have all been instructed to warm-up by Mourinho.
Pogba has been pretty poor so far, will the United manager replace him at half-time?
SAVE! Mignolet stays tall and saves well from Man Utd’s Mkhitaryan. That’s been their second big chance in this half. Mignolet is enjoying a fine game.
Rashford, Mata and Rooney are all still warming up. Might we be seeing all three at half-time? Rooney in particular looks like he’s having an intense warm-up.
HALF-TIME: Manchester United 0-1 Liverpool
So Liverpool lead at the interval thanks to James Milner’s 29th minute spot-kick after a needless handball by Paul Pogba. Man Utd are still in this game though, and they created enough chances in the first-half to give them optimism after the break.
Roeney is replacing Carrick for United at half-time.
We’re back underway!
We could be in for 45 season-defining minutes at Old Trafford. Rooney enters the fray a goal away from breaking Bobby Charlton’s goalscoring record.
James Milner’s first-half penalty:
CHANCE! Mkhitaryan creates another big opening for United as they split Liverpool open on the counter. The Armenian rolls the ball across the area but he puts too much on it and Martial can’t turn the ball in.
Alexander-Arnold lost possession there on the halfway line to Martial and United almost punished him. They attack once more but Rooney’s cross is dealt with by Mignolet.
SAVE! Firmino’s effort is kept out by De Gea after a quick Liverpool attack. Philippe Coutinho is on for Divock Origi.
Juan Mata looks like he’s about to be introduced.
WIDE! Rooney shifts the ball to his right boot and pulls the trigger on the edge of the area, but it trails off well wide. Meanwhile, Mata has replaced Martial for the home side.
SAVE! Lallana swings his left foot at a shot but De Gea saves well. Liverpool enjoyed a sustained period of pressure there camped outside the United area.
Coutinho has enjoyed a calming influence on Liverpool’s play since his introduction.
FOUL! Wayne Rooney avoids picking up a booking for a nasty challenge on James Milner.
Fellaini comes in for Damian. Rooney switches to the left flank and Mkhitaryan drops to left-back.
United look like they’re going to go direct with Fellaini and Ibrahimovic up front.
OFFSIDE! Man Utd continue to pump the ball long in desperation. They work a move high up the pitch and Rooney is flagged offside after his shot is stopped by Mignolet.
GOAL! Zlatan comes to the rescue for Man Utd. Game-on with ten minutes to go. Brilliant looping header from the Swede to turn the ball into the far corner.
GOAL! Man Utd (Ibrahimovic, 84′) 1-1 Liverpool
That’s Ibrahimovic’s 19th goal of the season. Wonderful header from Zlatan to beat Mignolet. Can United go on and win this?
There is a growing sense that Man Utd are developing some of the spirit they were famous for under Alex Ferguson. This one might end 1-1, but it’s the kind of game that United were losing a few months ago. Plenty of positives for Mourinho.
CHANCE! Big, big opportunity for Wijnaldum but he shoots tamely at De Gea. At the far end Rooney gives away the ball and Liverpool come back at United…
FULL-TIME: Man Utd 1-1 Liverpool
That’s all we’ve got for you today, thanks for joining us.