United v Liverpool. It’s what the Premier League is all about.

Some people think that the game between Manchester United and Liverpool is the fiercest local derby in English football. Whilst United have Manchester City and Liverpool have Everton, this is the game that both sets of fans need to win.

Antagonism

Over the past few years the antagonism between Sir Alex and Rafa has done nothing to lessen the antipathy between the clubs. The obvious hatred towards and from Gary Neville is also well publicised.

The two teams have won an equal eighteen top flight titles and this season was billed as being a battle between the two to take the lead. Liverpool finished second to United last season and beat them 4-1 at Old Trafford and looked as though they would mount a serious challenge this time around.

Best

In truth, neither side has been at the sparkling best this season but United will still go top if they win whereas Liverpool won’t make the top four if they do.

This afternoon’s game between the two giants at Old Trafford will have all the passion and excitement that this game normally brings but Liverpool are nowhere near where they thought they would be when they had that great win towards the end of last season.

Terrified

On the plus side for Liverpool we will see Fernando Torres, one of the best strikers in the world, up against Nemanja Vidic, one of the best defenders in the world. Unfortunately for United, Vidic seems to be terrified of the ability of the Spanish striker and has made a habit of being made to look silly by him before getting himself sent off.

It is notoriously difficult to predict the result in any local derby and at just thirty miles apart from each other, make no mistake, a local derby is exactly what this is. Liverpool have a decent record against United and beat them 2-0 at Anfield earlier this season. They will feel that in Torres and Gerrard they have the best two players on the pitch and that they can cause United all sorts of problems.

Win

United, however, will feel that they have the best players on the pitch, including a young man by the name of Rooney, and that they have everything that is needed to win the game and win it well.

The facts are that Manchester United have lost just one game at Old Trafford this season and have won thirteen of their fifteen home games. Let us not forget that the last two games they have played at their home ground were against AC Milan and Fulham and they scored seven goals without reply in those games.

Tame

Liverpool have lost seven times on their travels in the league this season and their last away game saw the tame defeat in Lille.

There is very little to suggest that this game will end in anything other than a reasonably comfortable win for United. The only problem with that is that there is no such thing as an easy win for United against Liverpool.

Tempo

I do think United will win the game but if Liverpool can play at a high tempo, nullify Wayne Rooney and get Fernando Torres one on one with Vidic as often as possible, then who knows what might happen.

Whatever happens it will be compulsive viewing and will no doubt have its share of excitement, thrills, spills, entertainment and controversy. It is a game that makes English football popular throughout the world and it is a game that means something even to the neutrals.

I can’t wait until kick off. May the best team win.