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After a defeat to Leicester City at Old Trafford, Manchester United will be keen to get back to winning ways against arch-rivals Liverpool. It is a rescheduled game that was supposed to happen on May 2nd. However, United fans broke into the stadium to uphold their protests against the club owners mainly for their association in the making of the European Super League and also to show their displeasure on how the club is run.
Nevertheless, there is a lot to play for as the Red Devils are looking to cement their second spot, whereas Liverpool are trying to finish in the Champions League spots. The Reds are coming to this game with a convincing victory over Southampton, and Jurgen Klopp will be looking to keep that momentum intact in this high voltage fixture. Sixth-placed Liverpool are keen to finish in the top four, but for that, they need to win this encounter as they have relatively easier matches. Hence Klopp’s men do have a chance to finish with a flourish and leave the rest on luck.
On the other hand, United have had a very congested schedule in the last one week, and therefore, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had to rest some of his starters against Leicester City. He was ready to take the defeat as he wanted the players to be fresh ahead of the big clash.
United’s biggest blow has to be the injury of their star defender Harry Maguire. The England international had a concern with his ankle and was taken off against Aston Villa. So he won’t be available for this encounter as he joins the sideline with Daniel James, Phil Jones and Anthony Martial.
Klopp’s long term headache with injuries continue as four new injuries were reported – Ozan Kabak, Naby Keita, James Milner and Ben Davies, so they all remain doubts for this fixture. The German tactician will have a tough decision to make as he can continue with Rhys Williams and Nat Philipps or slot in Fabinho as a makeshift centre-back.
This will be the third time that these two sides will play each other this season. The first league fixture at Anfield ended in a goalless draw while Manchester United knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup fourth round with an exciting 3-2 win.
Key Players
In such a short time, Bruno Fernandes has become the heartthrob for the Manchester United faithful. The Portuguese midfielder has been the driving force for the team this season, starting from creating chances to scoring goals. The former Sporting man has netted 17 goals and 11 assists and will look to add to his tally just like he did against the Reds in the FA Cup.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has had a great season with United, and he will look to continue that against Liverpool. The young right-back is known for heroics in defence, will have to keep Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane at bay. The former Crystal Palace full-back has made the right-back position his own this season and will be a key player for Solskjaer going into tough matches.
Although Liverpool’s attacking line has not had their best season, Mohamed Salah has netted 20 goals until now and will be a crucial player in this fixture. He scored a brace against United in the FA Cup where they lost, but this time the Egyptian will look to be the difference-maker.
After a rough start to life in England, Thiago Alcantara is gradually getting back to his own self. The Spaniard scored a goal in their last match against Southampton and is also looking very sharp in the transitions. Even Klopp said that he will need time to fit in properly in a new system, and it looks like that is happening. In a crucial match like this, Thiago can be the player who can dictate the tempo and win the midfield battle for Klopp.
Prediction
Manchester United going up against Liverpool will always be a big clash even though City have already clinched the title. Both sides here have a lot to play for, especially Liverpool, who are looking to win all their remaining matches to sneak into the top four positions. At the same time, United are also keen to cement their position as runners up.
There are often no favourites ahead of such matches, but considering the amount of injuries concerns that Klopp has at the moment, the odds are tilted towards Manchester United. However, it may also end in a draw, just like the last time these two sides met in the Premier League.
