(Football news) The two most successful clubs in England will battle it out at Anfield with a lot at stake for both the teams. Liverpool, who just booked their place into the FA Cup finals after defeating Manchester City will undoubtedly be the favourites for this fixture while Manchester United desperately need the win if they want to play in the Champions League next season.
Having already won the Carabao Cup, Liverpool could potentially win the quadruple but will need to win every single game in the Premier League and hope that City slip up to make that happen. Their first half performance against Manchester City was magnificent, a brace from Sadio Mane and a header from Ibrahima Konate sealed the win for Jurgen Klopp’s team. Despite their busy run of fixtures, Liverpool barely have any injuries to deal with and a win against their most bitter rivals could get them on top of the table, even if it’s just for 24 hours.
Liverpool have scored at least two goals in each of their last five matches domestically and abroad, their record at Anfield is impeccable to say the least, having won 10 consecutive games, better than any other team. Moreover, they have only conceded seven goals at home this season, a staggering record and it will undoubtedly take a very special performance from Manchester United to get a result against the Reds at their fortress.
As for Manchester United, the club are looking very vulnerable defensively, having conceded two goals against Norwich City and it took a hat-trick by Cristiano Ronaldo to secure the three points. It was only their second win in eight across all competitions and they haven’t kept a clean sheet away from home since December 2021. However, the 5-0 humiliation at Old Trafford will still be fresh in their memories and they would be looking for revenge this time around but it remains to be seen if they’re up to the task.
In team news, Liverpool have a fully fit squad and Jurgen Klopp is expected to go with Joel Matip instead of Konate while Jordan Henderson could replace Naby Keita. As for Manchester United, Edinson Cavani and Luke Shaw are unavailable for selection due to injury while Raphael Varane remains doubtful. Rangnick could feature Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Nemanja Matic to provide some defensive solidity. The Red Devils could rely on Ronaldo’s individual brilliance against Norwich City, but even the five time Ballon d'Or winner cannot help the team win this fixture alone. A Liverpool win is the most probable result in this fixture.
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