It’s taken just three weeks of the 2024/25 season for one of world football’s biggest fixtures to roll around, with Manchester United hosting rivals Liverpool in the Premier League this Sunday.
Fixtures don’t come much grander than England’s two most successful club sides locking horns and there’s a Dutch battle on the touchline for this particular clash. It’s Arne Slot’s first taste of this rivalry as Liverpool boss and he will be coming up against his former Eredivisie foe Erik ten Hag for the fifth time.
Liverpool head into this one in marginally better form. Slot has kicked off his reign with 2-0 victories against Ipswich Town and Brentford and has the opportunity to win over supporters with a first triumph at Old Trafford.
Man Utd started the new season with Community Shield defeat, following which they managed a late 1-0 win over Fulham on home soil. However, the late heartbreak was all theirs last weekend as Brighton & Hove Albion beat them 2-1 courtesy of a 95th-minute Joao Pedro header.
Here is 90min’s guide to a tantalising clash between Man Utd and Liverpool.
Man Utd vs Liverpool H2H Record (Last Five Games)
Current form (all competitions)
How to watch Man Utd vs Liverpool on TV and live stream
Man Utd team news
Man Utd’s injury list is still fairly lengthy, with the likes of Leny Yoro, Victor Lindelof, Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw missing from the backline. Rasmus Hojlund is also sidelined and Mason Mount will be absent for over a month due to a knock sustained against Brighton.
It will be interesting to see whether Joshua Zirkzee makes his first start after being used from the bench again at the Amex Stadium. Alejandro Garnacho could come in for Amad Diallo or Marcus Rashford after two impressive cameos, while Harry Maguire may hold his place in the lineup under pressure from Matthijs de Ligt.
Deadline day acquisition Manuel Ugarte is ineligible to play on Sunday as he wasn’t registered in time for the clash.
Man Utd predicted lineup vs Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Dalot; Casemiro, Mainoo; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Zirkzee.
Liverpool team news
Other than Curtis Jones, who is a slight doubt for the fixture after missing the Brentford victory with a knock, Liverpool have a clean bill of health heading to Manchester this Sunday.
Therefore, Slot is unlikely to make many changes – if any – from the team that beat the Bees last time out, although it will be intriguing to see whether he persists with Ryan Gravenberch in a deep-lying midfield role.
There could be a debut for exciting summer acquisition Federico Chiesa but Slot has admitted that he’s more likely to miss out on Sunday’s squad than be involved in it.
Liverpool predicted lineup vs Man Utd (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Jota, Diaz.
Man Utd vs Liverpool score prediction
Liverpool were favourites for all three meetings with Man Utd last season and yet failed to win any of them. A goalless draw at Anfield was followed by two quickfire trips to Old Trafford in 2024, both ending in 2-2 draws after 90 minutes – Man Utd won the FA Cup clash 4-3 after extra-time.
It could prove a similarly frustrating afternoon for Liverpool this weekend, who are yet to be properly tested in a competitive fixture. They did beat Man Utd 3-0 during pre-season but they gifted the Red Devils plenty of opportunities on that occasion.
This particular rivalry has tended to produce plenty of goals in recent seasons and four of them could be shared evenly on Sunday.
