Man United vs Liverpool Premier League preview

Manchester United host Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon in a Premier League clash with Champions League qualification on the line for both sides, with Man United able to confirm a top-five finish with three points and Liverpool capable of doing the same if results elsewhere go their way.

United come into this on the back of back-to-back one-goal wins, beating Chelsea 1-0 before edging Brentford 2-1 through goals from Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko. They sit eleven points clear of sixth-placed Brighton with four games left, and a win on Sunday would rubber-stamp their return to European football regardless of other results.

Liverpool arrive three points behind their hosts in fourth, having won three consecutive Premier League games including a 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace last weekend. That result was overshadowed by a supporter protest over ticket price rises, but on the pitch Arne Slot’s side are building momentum at exactly the right moment.

Manchester United team news vs Liverpool

Matheus Cunha returned to training this week after missing the Brentford win with a minor hip problem and is expected to be available. Luke Shaw is also optimistic of featuring despite picking up a knock in that game.

Matthijs de Ligt is out with a back injury and Lisandro Martinez is suspended. Bruno Fernandes goes into this match needing just one more Premier League assist to equal Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne’s single-season record of 20.

Manchester United predicted XI: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko.

Liverpool team news vs Manchester United

Mohamed Salah will miss Old Trafford after suffering a hamstring injury against Crystal Palace last weekend. Liverpool have confirmed he is expected back before the end of the season, but he will not get the chance to add to his record of 16 goals and eight assists against Man United.

Jayden Danns, Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, Wataru Endo and Giorgi Mamardashvili are all also absent. Alisson Becker has not trained and is a major doubt, while Milos Kerkez is carrying a niggle. Andy Robertson scored last week and is expected to start what could be his final Old Trafford appearance before leaving Liverpool this summer.

Liverpool predicted XI: Woodman; Jones, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak.

What to expect and our Man United vs Liverpool prediction

United have posted 29 points since Carrick took charge, more than any other Premier League side in that period, and have already accumulated 12 more home points this season than in the whole of last term. Liverpool have won just one of their last 12 top-flight games against sides starting the day in the top three, drawing seven of them.

Salah’s absence is significant but Liverpool still carry genuine threat through Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, who has been in fine form. United’s 23-game scoring run across all competitions suggests this will not be a cagey defensive affair, but with neither side able to afford a defeat, legs may tighten in the second half.

Prediction: Manchester United 1-1 Liverpool.