For Liverpool fans last season, seeing the demise of Manchester United under former-Everton boss David Moyes, was dreamlike as Brendan Rodgers guided Luis Suarez and co. to second in the Barclays Premier League. The Reds sat in first place for many weeks yet were pipped to the title by United's 'noisy neighbours' Manchester City in the last couple of weeks.
Now for Manchester United fans, who celebrated their fifth win in a row against Southampton on Monday, it is time to gloat over their bitter rivals as they crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday night to Swiss side Basel.
Both sides have had their boasting, gloating moments over the past ten years. This game, dubbed by many who have played in it as the biggest in the World, will not feature a title challenger this season. However, it will not fail to disappoint. It hasn't done so for the past ten years.
The first North-West Derby of last season, the first for David Moyes, was a starting block for an incredible season for Daniel Sturridge as the English forward, currently out with injury, scored in the 4th minute to give Liverpool a win at Anfield. 24 days later the two sides, the two most successful sides in English football, met once more and United came out on top despite a drab performance in the Capital One Cup with Javier Hernandez scoring the only goal.
What followed at Old Trafford was the last straw for many of the United faithful who fill the largest club stadium in England every week. It was an embarrassment. A humiliation, a humbling, a mortification, a boo boo and an egg in the face which resembled the horrors of 2009 as Fernando Torres ripped an in-form Nemanja Vidic to shreds and Liverpool scored 4 past Edwin van der Sar.
Early shouts for a penalty were dismissed yet 3 went on to be awarded to the Liverpool side who had traveled just 32 miles to Old Trafford and Steven Gerrard netted two to make him the highest scoring away player at Old Trafford ever. Luis Suarez slotted one past De Gea as United's defence assumed he was offside, incorrectly, and Liverpool took the bragging rights and a 3-0 victory home to West Lancashire.
It has been almost 2 years since a current Manchester United player has scored against Liverpool. January 13th 2013 saw Robin van Persie score one in a 2-1 win against Liverpool.
TEAM NEWS
Manchester United
Daley Blind and Luke Shaw both remain on the sidelines with long-term injuries picked up weeks ago while, despite returning to training from groin and shin injuries, Rafael and Phil Jones are unlikely to be selected due to a lack of match-fitness. Antonio Valencia has put in a couple of mediocre performances in Rafael's right-back position so the Brazilian may be brought back early to accommodate such worries in such a great match.
Chris Smalling joined the lengthy injury list on Monday night against Southampton, coming off before half-time. Paddy McNair also made his way off before half-time but in a tactical substitution so the youngster is unlikely to make his way back into the starting eleven on Sunday with Jonny Evans and Marcos Rojo available for the West Lancashire team.
Ander Herrera may finally earn himself a starting position with Smalling injured as van Gaal switches to four at the back.
PREDICTED LINE-UP: (4-1-2-1-2) De Gea - Valencia, Evans, Rojo, Young - Carrick - Fellaini, Herrera - Mata- Rooney, van Persie
Liverpool
Kolo Toure is expected to return after a groin injury ruled him out of the midweek Champions League clash with Basel.
Jon Flanagan and Daniel Sturridge both site out this match and others to come with long-term injuries. Yet Mario Balotelli may return from a six-match absence up front for the East Lancashire side despite a fruitful start to the season pre-injury.
Brendan Rodgers on Balotelli: "He's been out for a little while now, but in the last couple of days he's looked good in training.
"We'll give him every chance to see if he can come into the squad."
Adam Lallana will play through broken ribs to feature in the biggest match of both clubs' seasons. The Englishman sat alongside Philippe Coutinho on the bench at home to Basel in Europe on Tuesday but both are likely to start at 13:30 on Sunday.
Rickie Lambert has failed to inspire hope in the Liverpool fans, who he once was, while their man man Sturridge sat on the sidelines. As such the English forward could be dropped for the ever exciting Raheem Sterling, who may feature up front in a deep lying forward role.
PREDICTED LINE-UP: (4-1-2-2-1) Mignolet - Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno- Gerrard - Allen, Henderson - Coutinho, Lallana - Sterling
FORM
The North-West Derby has often shown that when it comes to the big fixtures, form means nothing but a small stat on a commentator's notes page. Jonny Evans spoke of such fact, insisting that despite 5 wins from 5 for Manchester United, Liverpool had an even chance of winning the mental battle.
“We are in a bit of form in terms of results and Liverpool are not but all form goes out of the window in these games and anything can happen,” Evans explained. “I haven't seen many of their games this season, but I watched a bit of the one in the Champions League the other night against Basel.
“Obviously, they were under a wee bit of pressure to get a big result that they didn't get in the end. Luis Suarez has gone and maybe they aren't as strong, but they’ve still got some fantastic players who can still create magic on the pitch and that is something we will have to be careful of.”
| Match | Date |
|---|---|
| Manchester United 1-0 Crystal Palace | November 8th 2014 |
| Arsenal 1-2 Manchester United | November 22nd 2014 |
| Manchester United 3-0 Hull City | November 29th 2014 |
| Manchester United 2-1 Stoke City | December 2nd 2014 |
| Southampton 1-2 Manchester United | December 8th 2014 |
| Match | Date |
|---|---|
| Ludogorets 2-2 Liverpool | November 26th 2014 |
| Liverpool 1-0 Stoke City | November 29th 2014 |
| Leicester 1-3 Liverpool | December 2nd 2014 |
| Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland | December 6th 2014 |
| Liverpool 1-1 Basel | December 9th 2014 |
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
March 16h 2014 - Manchester United 0-3 Liverpool
Steven Gerrard scored twice from the spot after an early penalty shout for handball was turned down and before a third was missed. Luis Suarez made up for the missed penalty by slotting past David De Gea with 6 minutes to go and giving Liverpool their biggest win at Old Trafford since 2009.
September 25th 2013 - Manchester United 1-0 Liverpool
Despite the Premier League stature gone and replaced by Capital One Cup, it remained a spicy affair with Javier Hernandez's 46th minute winner settling the game.
September 1st 2013 - Liverpool 1-0 Manchester United
Daniel Sturridge scored one of the first of many that season in the 4th minute to ensure Liverpool got their first win over United since January 2012.
January 13th 2013 - Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool
Robin van Persie opened the scoring before 20 minutes and United cruised through with Vidic scoring with 35 minutes left. Sturridge got one back but Liverpool couldn't muster a real comeback and United won their seccond Derby in a row. This was the last time a current Manchester United player scored against Liverpool.
September 23rd 2012 - Liverpool 1-2 Manchester United
Robin van Persie's first North-West Derby saw him score the winner with just 10 minutes to go after Steven Gerrard gave Liverpool the lead early in the second half. Rafael scored a stunner to equalise before van Persie took the bragging rights up the M62 to Manchester.
QUOTES
Mark Lawrenson on Liverpool: "It is eight months since Liverpool blew Manchester United away to win 3-0 at Old Trafford but it seems an awful lot longer than that.
"To be frank, Liverpool are all over the place at the moment. They are rudderless, low on confidence and do not seem to have a definitive way of playing."
Brendan Rodgers: "This is always a massive game in the fixture list in this country. It's more than a football game. You're are representing a city and a set of supporters."
Louis van Gaal: Of course I am aware of the rivalry. Even on the tour of the United States, all my staff were saying that to me. We have a cook whose name is Mike and when I don't know about anything to do with United and rival clubs, he shall say it! He's a big United fan and I hear immediately from him."
MATCH STATS
Head-to-head
Manchester United have won 10 of the 12 most recent league and cup meetings at Old Trafford but were outplayed in a 3-0 Premier League defeat in the corresponding fixture last March. Steven Gerrard scored two penalties and missed another, with Luis Suarez completing the scoring.
There have been 15 red cards in this fixture in the Premier League; only Everton v Liverpool (20) has had more.
This is the 191st meeting in all competitions. Manchester United lead by 75 wins to Liverpool's 64, with 51 draws.
Manchester United
United have won five Premier League games in a row for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
They are six points and six places better off than at this stage last season.
Manchester United's total of three shots against Southampton on Monday is their lowest tally in any league games since Opta started recording such data in 2003.
Robin van Persie has scored six goals in his last nine league appearances against Liverpool.
Liverpool
The Reds are nine points, seven places and 15 goals worse off than after 15 matches last season. They are 15 points off top spot, compared to a four-point deficit this time last year.
They have failed to score in four Premier League fixtures this season - one more than in the whole of 2013-14.
Liverpool have conceded 13 goals in seven away games at an average of 1.87 goals per game - only QPR have fared worse.
Mario Balotelli has had a league-high 35 shots without scoring this season. He scored twice in his only previous league appearance at Old Trafford in Manchester City's 6-1 victory in October 2011.