Written by Aaron Conlan
Sunday’s 4:30 kick-off will be the 215th competitive meeting between Liverpool and Manchester United, with Liverpool looking for revenge following a 4-3 loss in the FA Cup in the last visit to Old Trafford. Arne Slot in Friday’s press conference confirmed that the only absentee due to injury for the visit to Manchester is set to be Curtis Jones. However, Slot admitted that new signing Federico Chiesa is unlikely to be a part of the matchday squad “It’s a bigger chance that he is not in the squad for Sunday than he is”. Sunday’s game may well come too soon for the Italian, whose move to the Reds was confirmed on Thursday.
Liverpool come into the game on the back of two consecutive 2-0 wins and is the only side apart from Arsenal yet to concede so far this season. United emerged from a 2-1 loss away at Brighton which saw a 95th-minute winner from Joao Pedro seal defeat. United have a plethora of injuries at the moment with key players and new signings alike out injured. Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro and Victor Lindelof will not feature against Liverpool, with United’s new midfield man Manuel Ugarte unable to feature due to not being registered in time for the fixture.
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When asked about what he has been told about the Liverpool – United rivalry, Slot said “Some of them tried to tell me a few things about it, but I don’t think that’s really necessary. If you’re starting to work at Liverpool, everybody knows, every player that comes in knows and every manager that comes in knows how important the game against United is. It’s similar to when you work at Feyenoord, how big the game against Ajax is. People tell you, of course, but it’s not really necessary because if you follow the game of football, which I have done for a long time, you know the importance of Liverpool against United or United against Liverpool.”
Not only is Sunday’s game a battle for bragging rights but it is also Slot’s first real challenge at Liverpool, with the Reds being winless at Old Trafford since their 5-0 thrashing back in Oct 2021, something that the Dutchman will be hoping to turn around with a statement win, just like his predecessor, Klopp, did in his first league win back in October 2015 which saw a 3-1 thrashing of Chelsea away at Stamford Bridge.
Whilst being interviewed before the game, Trent Alexander Arnold spoke of the transition into Arne Slot’s style and what he thinks it will take to get the 3 points on Sunday. “I think we’re full of confidence. Obviously big changes happened for us in the summer and then a few of us were late back in. But we’re getting to grips with the new style, the new way the manager wants us to play and transitioning into a new Liverpool really. I think it’s going well so far.” “win our duels, win our battles, win our one-v-ones, pick up second balls and then control the game and dominate. As well as being ready for a tough, tough fight in a game like this. In games like this, I always think form goes out the window, it’s more about who wants to win more” Like always, this weekend’s fixture against United will be a tough one with the Reds hoping to put one over on their Manchester rivals.
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Predicted Lineup
XI: Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil Van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Alister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Mo Salah, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz.
With Slot only making one change to his starting lineup so far this season it’s reasonable to believe we will see the same starting eleven as last week feature again. Ryan Gravenberch has impressed so far at his new role as the 6, something that the Reds will hope he can continue throughout the season, with Liverpool seeming to end their pursuit for a 6 this summer following a deal with Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi collapsing. Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo seem likely to feature at some point, allowing Slot to have some extra firepower in the later stages of the match.
Prediction
Man Utd 1-2 Liverpool
