Liverpool vs. Man United: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Liverpool host rivals Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday in a game that could go a long way toward determining which of these two sides finishes in the top four of the Premier League this season.
A win for the home side would put them level on points with their north-west neighbours, while defeat would leave Jurgen Klopp's side looking at cup competitions for success this season.
This game last season saw Liverpool enter on a 13-match unbeaten run, but Brendan Rodgers' side produced a weak display and were tactically undone by Louis van Gaal's side. Liverpool lost 2-1, with Juan Mata scoring an impressive winner, then capitulated 4-1 at Arsenal in their following game to kiss their chances of Champions League qualification goodbye.
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
Just days before that game, Rodgers claimed his side could even finish as high as second in the table—instead they finished sixth and won just two of their remaining fixtures.
That game last season saw the quickest sending off for a Liverpool player, with captain Steven Gerrard dismissed 38 seconds after coming on at half-time.
Klopp and Van Gaal faced each other four times while in charge of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich respectively in Bundesliga. Van Gaal won both games in 2009/10. Klopp won both in 2010/11—with BVB going on to win the title and Van Gaal going on to lose his job.
Van Gaal enters this game under pressure from supporters unhappy with United's style of play under the Dutchman—not helped by just one league win in their last eight games.
Liverpool aren't in superb form, either, with three league wins in their last eight. Alongside Crystal Palace, Klopp's side are one of the only two teams in the top 12 with a negative goal difference (minus-two), showing their goalscoring problems this season.
Date: Sunday, 17 January, 2016
Time: 2.05 p.m. GMT/9.05 a.m. ET
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
TV Info: Sky Sports (UK), NBCSN (U.S.)
Live Stream: Sky Sports (UK) / NBCSN Live Extra (U.S.)
Form Lines
Liverpool
Drew 3-3 vs. Arsenal
Drew 2-2 vs. Exeter City (FA Cup)
Won 1-0 vs. Stoke City (League Cup)
Lost 2-0 vs. West Ham United
Won 1-0 vs. Sunderland
Manchester United
Drew 3-3 vs. Newcastle United
Won 1-0 vs. Sheffield United (FA Cup)
Won 2-1 vs. Swansea City
Drew 0-0 vs. Chelsea
Lost 2-0 vs. Stoke City
Team News
Liverpool's injury problems mean they are likely to be unchanged from the side that drew 3-3 with Arsenal in midweek. Dejan Lovren and Daniel Sturridge remain sidelined, meaning Kolo Toure and Mamadou Sakho should continue in defence and Roberto Firmino up front.
Klopp could opt to start Steven Caulker instead of Toure or put Christian Benteke up front. Joe Allen is another who is in contention, but the same starting XI looks most likely.
United are without midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger and Michael Carrick, but defender Phil Jones could return.
Predicted Lineups
Liverpool: Mignolet, Clyne, Toure, Sakho, Moreno, Can, Henderson, Milner, Lallana, Ibe and Firmino.
Man United: De Gea, Young, Smalling, Blind, Darmian, Schneiderlin, Herrera, Mata, Fellaini, Martial and Rooney.
Players to Watch
Liverpool: Roberto Firmino
After his two goals against Arsenal on Wednesday—his first goals at Anfield—Roberto Firmino will be looking to carry the momentum into another big game. The Brazilian has produced his best displays against the top sides in his opening season in the Premier League and said he knows how big a game this is.
"Manchester United are a big team and I know how big this derby is here," he told the Liverpool Echo. "We have to be 100 per cent focused. If we do as well as we did up front [against Arsenal] against them we have a good chance to win on Sunday."
Firmino's best performances have been against Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal—each when he started as No. 9—a stark contrast to the wide-midfield role in which Rodgers deployed him in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford in September, when he and Danny Ings ended up more like wing-backs.
Man United: Anthony Martial
That game earlier in the season saw then-19-year-old forward Anthony Martial announce himself by coming off the bench to score on his debut for the Red Devils.
The Frenchman hasn't been a consistent performer in his first season in England, but his pace could cause Liverpool problems—whether from a wide area or central.
Key Battle: Tactical
Van Gaal will approach this game looking to play a solid shape and exploit Liverpool's weaknesses—especially in the air, via the use of Marouane Fellaini.
The United boss used the Belgian to exploit Emre Can in Liverpool's defence in this encounter last March and will no doubt look to do similar this time, likely up against one of the two full-backs—both Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno not blessed with height (5'9" and 5'7" respectively) or aerial presence.
Klopp's side must counter this by not allowing space for balls in to Fellaini and not giving away set-piece opportunities.
Van Gaal tactically beat Rodgers twice in 2015; Klopp must win the tactical battle in order to get the result his side needs.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Liverpool: +133
Man United: + 250
Draw: +234
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Manchester United
