Liverpool vs Manchester UnitedLiverpool vs Manchester United

Anfield forms the backdrop for one of the most iconic fixtures in Premier League history as high-flying leaders Liverpool take on out-of-sorts Manchester United.

History beckons for overachieving manager Arne Slot as he bids to become the first Liverpool boss since George Kay in 1936/37 to pull off a league double over Manchester United in his first season in the dugout. The Reds thrashed United 3-0 in September’s reverse fixture and seem well-positioned to produce another high-scoring performance after finishing last calendar year on a three-game winning league streak. Slot’s charges netted 3+ goals in each victory at an average of 4.66 per game, putting at least five past West Ham and Tottenham. In doing so, they took their Premier League goal tally to 92 for 2024 – their second-most in any top-flight year in the club’s history! With two games in hand on second-placed Arsenal, another win would bring Liverpool within striking distance of the heavily anticipated title.

Eager to prevent their arch-rivals from opening an eight-point gap on the Gunners, Manchester United hope to turn their miserable fortunes around in the new calendar year. The Red Devils finished 2024 on a disastrous four-game losing streak in all competitions, including three consecutive Premier League defeats by 2+ goals ‘to nil,’ putting them at risk of losing four in a row in the top flight for the first time since 1979! If they do so without scoring, it would be their first such run since 1909, highlighting the pressure on new manager Ruben Amorim to turn the corner at Anfield. However, his side conceded a disastrous 18 goals in December – their most in a calendar month since March 1964. It’s also worth noting that they’ve failed to score on their last five top-flight visits to this stadium (D2, L3).