Old Trafford is the place to be for this weekend's Premier League blockbuster, as old foes Manchester United and Liverpool cross paths once again on Sunday afternoon.
The mouthwatering showdown also sees former Eredivisie managerial rivals Erik ten Hag and Arne Slot reunite for the second time, after the Merseyside giants stormed to a 3-0 pre-season victory.
Match preview
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Eight days on from a highly unconvincing win over Fulham - where Joshua Zirkzee quickly made himself a Mancunian hero - the Red Devils' new boy became the villain of the hour at the Amex Stadium last weekend, as Ten Hag experienced that familiar sinking feeling.
Goals from ex-Man United man Danny Welbeck and Joao Pedro either side of an Amad Diallo intervention propelled Brighton & Hove Albion to a 2-1 win in the lunchtime battle, where an apparent Alejandro Garnacho goal was struck off due to the offside Zirkzee getting the final touch.
Now reeling from their second defeat in just three competitive matches this season - having also suffered an excruciating penalty-shootout loss to Manchester City in the Community Shield - Man United have thus far shown no signs of a major revival since Ten Hag was spared the axe.
The month of September has not been one to remember for Man United either, as they have been beaten in 13 of their 35 top-flight battles since Sir Alex Ferguson left the hotseat; only in May (14) have they suffered more top-flight defeats in a single month since the start of 2013-14.
However, the Red Devils are just 90 minutes away from winning three straight Premier League matches at home for the first time since August 2023, having also seen off Newcastle United at the end of last season, but nothing can separate Slot and Ten Hag in the Eredivisie head-to-head.
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Indeed, both Dutchmen secured two wins over the other during their time in their homeland, but history does not favour the man in the Liverpool dugout this weekend, as Slot prepares for his first competitive match against the 20-time English champions.
None of Liverpool's last nine managers have masterminded a victory over Man United in their first non-friendly game against the Red Devils - Bob Paisley was the last to achieve the feat in 1975 - but Slot is one of just four bosses to oversee two wins from two in the 2024-25 Premier League.
Four goals have been scored and none conceded by the Reds in that time, as Sunday's visitors followed up their 2-0 beating of Ipswich Town with an identical win over Brentford last weekend, as Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah devenomised the Bees' sting.
As was the case at Portman Road, though, Liverpool's first-half display at Anfield left something to be desired, but their expected goals tally of 5.3 is still the highest of all 20 Premier League sides so far this season; an unsightly statistic for a Man United side famed for conceding shot after shot.
The Red Devils made it through Jurgen Klopp's farewell season without suffering a single loss to his Liverpool side, though, with two Premier League draws coming either side of an absorbing 4-3 FA Cup victory, but Slot oversaw a 3-0 trouncing during both sides' United States pre-season tour.
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Team News
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Injury was literally added to insult in Man United's loss to Brighton last weekend, as the luckless Mason Mount was forced off at half time with a thigh injury and has confirmed that he faces a few games on the sidelines.
Mount enters a well-occupied Man United infirmary also holding Leny Yoro (foot), Rasmus Hojlund (hamstring), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Luke Shaw (calf) and Victor Lindelof (toe), and his absence will surely lead to a full debut for Zirkzee as Bruno Fernandes occupies the number 10 slot.
The Red Devils have managed to get a deal over the line for ex-Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte, but as he was not registered by 12pm on deadline day, he will be unable to make his first appearance for the club on Sunday.
Onto new signings who are eligible to make their debuts this weekend, Liverpool have completed potentially the biggest bargain of the summer, signing Euro 2024-winning attacker Federico Chiesa from Juventus for just £10m.
However, on account of his lack of football in recent weeks and well-documented fitness problems, Slot has conceded that Chiesa is unlikely to make his debut at Old Trafford, unless any late injuries force his hand.
At the time of writing, though, only groin victim Curtis Jones - who did not train on Friday - is doubtful for the visitors, whose captain Virgil van Dijk will make his 200th top-flight appearance for the club.
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot; Mainoo, Casemiro; Diallo, Fernandes, Garnacho; Zirkzee
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Jota
We say: Manchester United 0-1 Liverpool
As well as racking up the highest number of expected goals so far this season, Liverpool's expected goals against total of one is also the best record in the division, so an up-and-down Man United will surely have their work cut out to penetrate Slot's defence.
The Reds' 3-0 pre-season thumping should not be taken at face value, but even if their margin of victory is far less emphatic this time around, we still back the visitors to knock down a few more Old Trafford walls.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
