When Liverpool hosts Manchester United on Sunday, they intend to further bury their infamous rivals while also enhancing their own chances of winning the Premier League championship.
The Reds have had an unexpectedly strong first four months under Arne Slot, leading the standings by eight points and threatening to win the Premier League.
The Reds have only lost three of their 23 games in all competitions since a mid-September loss to Nottingham Forest, which was their only loss of the season. Their remarkable run of play has put them atop both the Premier League and Champions League standings.
Meanwhile, United is in disarray as the Red Devils’ faulty team finds it difficult to adapt to Ruben Amorim’s new tactical scheme. This late in the season, they are in their lowest-ever Premier League rankings, sitting in an alarming 14th place.
Amorim had to respond to enquiries over United’s possible relegation threat because the team had suffered four straight losses going into this game. The former Sporting CP manager has called it “embarrassing” that they are still in the debate at all, even if their chances of getting drawn into the fight still look slim at most.
Ahead of this match, which has both teams vying for points for quite opposite reasons, Sporting News provides you with the most recent team news.
man united vs liverpool f.c. lineups, starting 11, team news
Ibrahima Konate, the defender for the home team, has been out since the beginning of December because of a knee injury. Joe Gomez, his replacement, left the game before halfway due to a hamstring injury sustained during West Ham’s victory.
At a news conference prior to the game, Slot made the statement, “Joe is not in a good place when it comes to his injury, he’s out for a few weeks for sure,” before revealing that Konate had his first appearance back in training on Friday.
Slot’s only alteration from Liverpool’s 5-0 victory over West Ham to end 2024 was the substitution of Konate for Gomez.
Alisson (GK) — Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson — Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones — Salah, Diaz, Gakpo is the starting lineup for Liverpool (4-3-3, right to left).
Gomez has a hamstring injury. Szoboszlai, for sickness.
Not suspended.
Choosing the appropriate starting lineup has been Amorim’s main challenge throughout his early Manchester United tenure. Getting it right from the outset will be crucial in this game because he had to switch up the formation early in the midweek loss to Newcastle after hooking Joshua Zirkzee for an additional midfielder.
Kobbie Mainoo’s arrival had a beneficial effect, and Amorim welcomes the England midfielder back. Both Manuel Ugarte and Bruno Fernandes, who were greatly missed against Newcastle, have returned from suspension.
Onana (GK) — De Ligt, Maguire, L. Martinez — Mazraoui, Mainoo, Ugarte, Dalot — Fernandes, Hojlund, Amad is the lineup for Man United (3-4-3, right to left).
Lindelof (groin), Rashford (illness), Mount (muscle), and Shaw (hamstring) are all injured.
Liverpool vs. Man United live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this Premier League match across selected areas of the world’s major regions:
| TV channel | Streaming | |
| USA | NBC, Telemundo | Fubo USA |
| Canada | — | Fubo Canada |
| UK | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League | Sky Sports Extra |
| Australia | — | Optus Sport |
| India | Star Sports Select 1 | Disney+ Hotstar, JioTV |
