Manchester United host league leaders and bitter rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon looking to thwart their visitors' tilt at history.
Jurgen Klopp's side could equal the best-ever Premier League start if they make it nine wins from nine, a feat which would also see them draw level with Manchester City's all-time record of 18 consecutive top-flight victories.
United will be desperate to avoid their biggest enemies reaching such landmarks in their own backyard, but they go into the game already 15 points adrift of Liverpool and with only two wins in their last 13 league outings.
The odds seem stacked against the 20-time champions of England, and here Sports Mole looks at how under-fire Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could line his side up for the daunting contest.
Out: Paul Pogba (ankle), Eric Bailly (knee), Timothy Fosu-Mensah (knee), Diogo Dalot (groin)
Doubtful: Luke Shaw (hamstring), Anthony Martial (thigh), Phil Jones (unknown), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (tonsillitis), Jesse Lingard (hamstring), David de Gea (groin), Mason Greenwood (back)
> Click here for Manchester United's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match
Sunday's match looked difficult enough for Manchester United even without such a lengthy injury list, which includes arguably their two best players in David de Gea and Paul Pogba.
Pogba has been ruled out completely as he continues to battle an ankle injury, while De Gea is highly unlikely to feature after picking up a groin strain during the international break, although Solskjaer has confirmed that the problem is not as serious as first feared.
De Gea's expected absence is likely to hand a rare starting chance to Sergio Romero, an able deputy who has kept a clean sheet in 61% of his United appearances in the past.
A host of players including Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial, Phil Jones, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jesse Lingard and Mason Greenwood will undergo late fitness tests ahead of the match, and of those Wan-Bissaka and Lingard look the most likely to be passed fit.
Wan-Bissaka's return is particularly timely with Diogo Dalot joining the list of casualties, while Ashley Young's experience is expected to earn him the nod again at left-back should Shaw not make it.
One piece of good news for the hosts is that Victor Lindelof returned to action during the international break and should be ready to feature alongside the world's most expensive defender Harry Maguire, who will be coming up against the man he took that record off.
> Click here to see how Liverpool could line up for this match
Barney Corkhill
