Can struggling Man U survive another Liverpool demolition?… All you need to know
Premier league matchday 17 will see Liverpool welcome their biggest rivals in English football Manchester United to Anfield in another blockbuster clash.
In the 211 games that have been played between the two teams, Manchester United has a strong winning record against Liverpool, having won 82 of them to Liverpool’s 71.
Liverpool has started the Premier League season strong and is presently leading the table with a point above second-placed Arsenal. But Merseyside team will need to recover from their shocking 2-1 Europa League defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise this week. The last time the Red Devils travelled to Anfield they left with their tails between their legs as Klopp’s men won them 7-0.
The Reds have not lost in their last seven home games against Manchester United, having scored an impressive 11 goals in their previous two encounters at Anfield. Liverpool has also won all seven of their home games at Anfield this year, which is their best home league start since 2019–20.
Manchester United on the other hand, has been struggling in recent memory and is currently sixth in the league table. They narrowly lost their last Champions League game to Bayern Munich with a 0-1 scoreline and lost 3-0 to Bournemouth last weekend. Their 7-0 loss in this same match last season serve as a stark reminder of the difficulties they have been having.
LIVERPOOL VS MANCHESTER UNITED TEAM NEWS
Although Cody Gakpo was one of the few senior players who participated in Liverpool’s Europa League loss, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah appear destined to start for the Reds. In addition to Joel Matip, who is sidelined for the rest of the season, Liverpool is still without players like Thiago Alcantara, Andy Robertson, and Diogo Jota. A knee issue appears to be keeping Alexis Mac Allister out of this blockbuster.
And because Alexis Mac Allister is injured, there’s a midfield spot up for grabs. Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch have both struggled with consistency in form, but it’s possible that Ryan’s greater physicality will win him the game.
When Ten Hag gave his pre-match press conference, Manchester United had mixed news. Up to nine players could be out of the Red Devils’ squad. Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford will need to be evaluated to determine whether they are fit to play, but Harry Maguire and Anthony Martial are not available. Due to the fifth yellow card rule, Captain Bruno Fernandes is suspended. Tyrell Malacia, Casemiro, Mason Mount, Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen are all out for the visiting team due to injury and Jadon Sancho is still not available for selection.
LIVERPOOL VS MANCHESTER UNITED TIME AND VENUE
Kick-off date is Sunday 17th December, 2023
Kick-off time is 5:30pm
Venue is Anfield
Referee will be Micheal Oliver
LIVERPOOL PREDICTED STARTING LINE UP
Alison, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Jones, Salah, Diaz, Nunez
MANCHESTER UNITED PREDICTED STARTING LINE UP
Onana, Wan-Bisakka , lindelof, Varane, Dalot, Amrabat, McTominay; Rashford, Mainoo, Garnacho, Hojlund
LIVERPOOL VS MANCHESTER UNITED PREDICTION
Liverpool will aim to challenge for the league title in the upcoming weeks as they have improved steadily since the beginning of the season. It’s going to be a huge fixture, so players like Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez, who can be deadly on their day, will need to step up.
The Reds are everything that United is not: they are confident, sharp in the front of goal, and have a never-say-die mentality.
Manchester United have had a difficult time recently, and will have to put themselves to the test in this game. But everything is pointing to a Liverpool win and this is because they are currently playing better.
It’s difficult to find any positives for the Red Devils in this game. The least could be a draw. Apart from that, you can’t look past a home win. The question should be “how many?”
We Predict 3-1
Also see: Man City’s first UCL, Messi’s 8th Ballon D’or… Unforgettable football moments of 2023
