Liverpool vs Manchester United Match Preview

The Premier League is the richest and biggest in the world, but which teams are its biggest? That answer will vary, but if you ask 20 people, more than 10 will include Liverpool and Manchester United.

Sir Alex Ferguson is largely credited for developing the modern United team and dislodging Liverpool as the top Premier League club after several decades.

United was England's biggest club in the 90s and they broke all kinds of records while Liverpool struggled to emerge during the Premier League era.

In 2005, the Reds made an impression in European football again by winning the Champions League in dramatic fashion.

But they could not replicate that success in their domestic league and their big rivals continued do dominate the competition for decades.

But after the departure of Ferguson, United slipped into mediocrity and it has been very tough for any coach to get them out of their struggles so far.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have since ended their wait for a Premier League crown after emerging champions in 2020, a season that required them to be almost perfect before they could be crowned champions.

Jurgen Klopp’s men have also won another Champions League and reached the final of the competition on two other occasions.

At least twice, they have taken the Premier League title race to the final day of the season, while United continued to wallow in mediocrity.

Last season, the Red Devils made Erik Ten Hag their manager and it seemed they finally have a coach who can help them to end their wait for a new league crown.

Ten Hag reached the final of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup while finishing inside the Premier League’s top four.

But they still have not reached the level of Liverpool and have failed to build on their strides from the last campaign.

Liverpool were dismal in the 2022/2023 term and finished the season outside the Champions League spots, which was shocking.

Klopp’s men had been one of the hottest teams in Europe in the previous campaign and reached the final of all competitions they competed in, winning two domestic cups.

While Liverpool struggled for form, United had a good time on the pitch and finished above the Reds in a Champions League spot.

However, this term has been different, as Liverpool’s decision to bolster their squad with the best midfielders they can get seems to be paying off.

That spot was their Achilles heel last term, and they seem to have fixed it just before this season began.

Ahead of their game this month, Liverpool ticket buyers expect to see their side dominate the opponent as they have done for much of the last few terms.

Liverpool vs Manchester United Match preview

Fans who would buy tickets for this game know that there is so much football to be played when these clubs meet.

Ten Hag’s United were embarrassed 7-0 on their last visit to Anfield, and they want to avoid such humiliation as they return for another tough day at the office.

Liverpool is competing for the Premier League title this season and Manchester City’s poor form means the Reds have a real chance to win the league.

However, United has been plagued by inconsistency this term and it is hard to see them finish close to the top.

Ten Hag’s men can still end the campaign inside the top four if they can fix their inconsistent form and defeat some top opponents.

However, at this stage of the season, it is hard to compare them to Liverpool, and even the most loyal United supporters will admit that Liverpool is a much better side.

United is struggling in the Champions League, where they sit last in their group ahead of the final group game in the competition this term.

In the Premier League, they have struggled against clubs in the top seven when they play away since Ten Hag joined the club.

They are facing a Liverpool side that has won all their home games in all competitions this season.

The Reds have made Anfield more than a fortress and they do not accept defeat in front of their supporters.

In this fixture, they are unbeaten at home against United in the last eight times both clubs have met in all competitions, winning five of those games.

United has not scored at Anfield in four consecutive matches, conceding 13 times in that period of time.

Ten Hag defeated Liverpool in his first competitive match against them at Old Trafford in the Premier League last season.

However, Liverpool has won five of the last eight times these teams have met in the Premier League.

One player United fans and players will dread in this game is Mohamed Salah, as the Egyptian simply cannot stop scoring against them.

He has scored nine times in his last five games against the Red Devils and it will be difficult for them to stop him from scoring at least once in this game.

Memorable recent meetings

There have been several memorable meetings between Manchester United and Liverpool, but the 7-0 win for Liverpool last season will live long in the memory of all football fans.

The 2022/2023 campaign was a poor one for the Reds and United had defeated in the first leg at Old Trafford.

We all expected a balanced game, if not a very close one, and United showed they were serious in the first few minutes.

The Red Devils defended well and created some chances as well. However, Liverpool scored just before halftime.

But it was after the break that the destruction happened as Liverpool went on a rampage and scored six second-half goals.

United will not want to ever experience such a humiliation again and it starts from this game.

Another recent memorable game between these teams was another Liverpool win, a 5-0 victory at Old Trafford in 2021.

Liverpool visited Manchester in the first half of the 2021/2022 season and like most games between these two, we did not know what to expect.

However, after just five minutes, Naby Keita gave the Reds the lead to silence Old Trafford. But that was just the start of the destruction as Diogo Jota scored the second goal eight minutes later.

Then Mo Salah scored his first goal of the game in the 38th minute. The Egyptian King would eventually score another goal in the first half added time and another five minutes after the break.

It was a remarkable hattrick that deserved a standing ovation from the United fans and the game ended in a 5-0 win for the Reds.

The Anfield effect

This game would be played at Anfield, one of the best stadiums in the world to watch football and Liverpool’s home.

The atmosphere at Anfield is a reason Liverpool hardly loses there because they have one of the noisiest and best fans in the world.

When you face Liverpool at Anfield, the worst thing you can do is to provoke the crowd because you are guaranteed to lose that game.

Their players feed off the energy the supporters provide to them and destroy every opponent that visits.

Many of the current United squad have visited that stadium since they have been at the club and they know what to expect.

However, that will not make life easier for them in this game. If Liverpool gets enough space and is allowed to play their game, this could end badly for the Red Devils.