This article is part of our Soccer Picks series.
Liverpool and Manchester United meet Sunday at Anfield for their 244th all-time encounter. The clubs find themselves heading in opposition directions, as Liverpool hope to extend their lead at the top of the table and Manchester United look to find solid footing under new manager Ruben Amorim after losing three straight.
Liverpool sit six points clear atop the Premier League table with a game in hand over second place Arsenal. United's disjointed season has resulted in 22 points through 19 fixtures this season, just seven points clear of the drop zone (prior to Saturday's matches).
Premier League Predicted & Confirmed Lineups
Premier League Schedule and Fixture Difficulty Ranker
HEAD TO HEAD
Liverpool and Manchester United have met on 243 occasions, dating back to 1894 when Liverpool, defeated Manchester United, then known as Newton Heath in a 2-0 "Test Match." The Reds and Red Devils met three times over the course of the 2023/2024 season. The sides drew in each of their two Premier League meetings, while Manchester United eliminated Liverpool from FA Cup contention with a 4-3 victory in the FA Cup quarterfinals.
Most recently, Liverpool blanked Manchester United in a 3-0 victory this season, riding two Luis Diaz goals to a decisive win.
Manchester United lead the all-time series, having won 91 times and drawn on 82 occasions.
ODDS
Moneyline
DraftKings: LIV -330 Draw +500, MUN +800 (PROMO CODE)
FanDuel: LIV -370 Draw +500, MUN +850 (PROMO CODE)
BetMGM: LIV -350 Draw +500, MUN +825 (BONUS CODE)
Bet365: LIV -350 Draw +500, MUN +800 (BONUS CODE)
FORMATIONS
Liverpool continue to deploy a 4-2-3-1 under Arne Slot. The selection by Slot in the No. 9 role will be an indicator as to whether the Reds play with a target forward or a false nine with the ability to run into space behind the defense. Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota are the preferred options in the position.
Amorim has implemented his 3-4-3 system at Old Trafford, with an emphasis on wing-backs supporting the attacking unit, as well as tracking back defensively. During his time at Sporting CP, Amorim asked his squads to press aggressively once dispossessed. However, as United continue to refine their approach, Amorim could dial back the pressing intensity versus the league leaders in an effort to deploy a more compact defensive unit and earn a point away from home.
LINEUP NOTES & INJURY NEWS
Liverpool
Liverpool will take the pitch at Anfield at nearly full strength.
To determine their availability for Sunday's fixture, defenders Ibrahima Konate (foot) and Conor Bradley (hamstring) are likely to face pre-match fitness tests, as each returned to team training Friday after extended absences. The return of Konate and Bradley couldn't be more timely, as fellow defender Joe Gomez suffered a hamstring injury during Liverpool's most recent match and will be unavailable for the foreseeable future. With Liverpool's returning central defenders unlikely to be ready for a full 90 minutes, expect to see 21-year-old Jarell Quansah either in the starting XI or receiving significant minutes in relief.
Slot continues to tinker with the concoction of his midfield mixture. Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch have each featured in Liverpool's last three league fixtures, with Curtis Jones paired with the duo on two occasions and Dominik Szoboszlai earning a nod in the starting XI once over that span, most recently out due to suspension.
Manchester United
Manchester United enter the fixture in relative health, nursing three long-term injuries.
Luke Shaw suffered a setback in early December as he worked to return from a calf injury and is considered a long-term absence. Victor Lindelof (concussion) and Mason Mount (strain) are each weeks away from potential inclusions on the United team sheet.
With United nearly at full strength, expect Amorim to name his most consistently paired defenders, Matthijs De Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Lisandro Martinez, across his back three. However, recent poor performances from Martinez may force the inclusion of former club captain Harry Maguire to the lineup since he's started the last four in league play. Diogo Dalot is likely to line up at one wing-back position, while Amorim has yet to land on any one player as the regular second wing-back in his lineup.
Young Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo were selected as Amorim's midfield pairing most often in December. However, the manager opted for a change in their last fixture, a 2-0 loss to Newcastle in which veterans Casemiro and Christian Eriksen were dominated by an in-form Magpie midfield (mostly due to Ugarte and Fernandes being suspended).
Club captain Bruno Fernandes served a one-match ban due to a red card and will return to his role as an attacking midfielder, looking to spur on a United attack that has not scored in three consecutive league fixtures. During the final three fixtures of December, Fernandes was paired with Amad Diallo in the attacking midfield role behind the United striker. The ferocity of Fernandes and Diallo's support of Rasmus Hojlund in the No. 9 role will directly impact United's ability to score.
RECENT FORM
Liverpool (WWWWD) have unexpectedly rocketed into another stratosphere under the tutelage of their new manager. Across all competitions, the Premier League leaders have won 23 times and drawn once in 27 matches under Slot. In December, the Reds won six of their nine fixtures, drawing three times.
Manchester United (LLLLW) experienced a December to forget, winning just two of seven league fixtures. Over the current four match winless streak across all competitions, the Red Devils have been outscored by 11-3 on aggregate.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Virgil van Dijk: With Manchester United likely to defend in numbers, their counter-attacking ability will directly determine their ability to compete with the top club in England. As a function of United's proclivity to counterattack, it will be the sole responsibility of van Dijk to track down runners and sniff out passing lanes in an effort top bring United's goalless streak to four matches. Expect van Dijk to be the lid on any United counters.
Bruno Fernandes: If Manchester United are to successfully swoop into Anfield and produce an upset, expect Fernandes to be the United attacker who finds an unlocking pass in transition. If Fernandes is held in-check during open play, he still has the propensity to contribute from set pieces, as he calls the shots for United on free kicks, corners and penalties.
BETTING PICKS & PREDICTION
Premier League Odds Comparisons
Man of the Match: Mohamed Salah
Salah has proven unstoppable through 18 domestic fixtures this season. The veteran attacker has averaged nearly one goal per match, scoring 17 times and assisting on 13 goals. His 20 goal contributions account for 44.4% of all Liverpool Premier League goals. If the premise is that Salah is an unstoppable force this season, I don't expect the Manchester United defense to be the entity to contain his heroic play. Expect Salah to have at least one goal or assist in this fixture.
Result: Liverpool 4-1 Manchester United
UPCOMING EPL FIXTURES
Liverpool: Jan. 14 at Nottingham Forest
Manchester United: Jan. 16 vs. Southampton
