Prediction: Manchester United vs Liverpool

Verdict: Liverpool to Win and Both Teams to Score

Best Odds: 4/1

Bookmakers: Bet 365

Manchester United welcome historic rivals Liverpool to Old Trafford for one of the fiercest games in the Premier League calendar. The Red Devils head into this game with a two-point lead over their opponents in the table and will be looking to extend their advantage. Jurgen Klopp’s side meanwhile know that a win will see them leapfrog United, so it will be everything to play for in the early kick-off on Saturday.

Manchester United

Jose Mourinho’s side have had a perplexing season and it’s difficult to judge whether they’ve been successful or not. Fans of Manchester United expect titles and trophies, but it’s not looking too promising for a good haul from this campaign. The Red Devils currently sit second in the Premier League table, a whopping 16 points behind their eternal rivals Manchester City, and are now wrapped up in a struggle to maintain that spot as both Liverpool and Tottenham are breathing down their necks. United also crashed out of the League Cup in fairly embarrassing circumstances at the hands of Bristol City in the quarter-finals.

They have however reached the same stage in the FA Cup and will face Brighton as they look to progress and win at least one piece of silverware. The other competition that offers United some hope is the Champions League, but their 0-0 away draw with Sevilla puts them in a precarious position for the second leg at Old Trafford as it will be a must-win game.

United’s recent form has been rather inconsistent too, which has contributed to the general feeling of uneasiness around the club. Defeats to Tottenham and Newcastle during their last five league games have reduced Mourinho’s side’s lead over their top four rivals, and the fact that January signing Alexis Sanchez is yet to fully settle in is only compounding the issue. This United team isn’t the same one that can grind out wins at will, and I worry that Liverpool could walk all over them if they get an early goal.

Team News

Central defender Phil Jones has a knock and will likely face a late fitness test ahead of this game, while fellow defenders Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo are also slight doubts.

Elsewhere Anthony Martial also has a knock but should recover in time to feature, but Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera look set to miss out with knee and muscle injuries respectively. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is also side-lined.

Liverpool

The Reds are currently just two points behind Manchester United in the table, meaning that a win over their bitter rivals this weekend would see them claim second spot for themselves. The fact that Liverpool have scored 67 goals during this campaign should be a good indicator of their utterly destructive attacking threat, and they should have no issues standing up to the resilient United defence. Mohamed Salah in particular has been the star of the show for Jurgen Klopp this season having registered 24 goals and eight assists so far, and the Egyptian shows no signs of slowing down either. Add to that the signing of Virgil van Dijk in January, who has improved the Reds’ defensive record almost instantaneously, and you have a hugely impressive team.

Their recent results are testament to their success and improvement too. An unbeaten run of seven games in all competitions has brought with it 18 goals and just three conceded, a vast improvement on the erratic defensive statistics of earlier in the season. The seven-game run included a 0-5 away drubbing of Porto in the Champions League, a result that, aside from the 4-3 win over Manchester City, provided perhaps the best insight into just how good this Liverpool side can be on its day. A game against Manchester United at Old Trafford is not a game in which you can take your foot off the gas, so I expect Klopp’s side to be devastatingly good this weekend.

Team News

In defence Andy Robertson has a knock but that shouldn’t prevent him from featuring in this clash, but Nathaniel Clyne’s muscle injury rules him out.

Georginio Wijnaldum could be a game-time decision as he is recovering from an illness, while Jordan Henderson is in a similar boat due to a leg issue.

Key Factors to Consider

• Manchester United have lost two of their last five games in the Premier League.
• The Red Devils have however scored 15 times in their last eight matches across all competitions.
• Liverpool are unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions.
• Jurgen Klopp’s side have also scored a whopping 18 goals in that same stretch of matches.
• The previous meeting between these two sides ended in a 0-0 draw.

Conclusion

I’ve gone for a fairly bold prediction today but I believe that this Liverpool team has the talent to tear apart any team on their day, and what better occasion is there than a game against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Mourinho’s men have been defeated by both Tottenham and Newcastle in recent weeks, while Klopp’s side have been absolutely flying of late. It should be a good game, but I fancy the visitors to outscore their opponents.

Verdict: Liverpool to Win and Both Teams to Score

Best Odds: 4/1

Bookmakers: Bet 365