Manchester United face Liverpool in the Premier League this weekend for the second time this season as they hope to improve on their last meeting with the Reds from Merseyside.
Jose Mourinho's drew a blank and ended up with a 0-0 scoreline against Jurgen Klopp's charges at Anfield in a game that struggled to live up to the hype it had created.
Much has changed since the two sides met in October, the Red Devils have been in excellent form and have been unbeaten since early November and look unbeatable going into the hugely anticipated clash against Klopp's Liverpool at Old Trafford.
United have found winning streak at right moment
For much of the early season, Mourinho's United struggled to find the consistency in results and although performances were satisfying, it seemed as though the Red Devils were incapable of putting two wins together.
It seems like a million years since United lost a game, with their last loss coming at the hands of Chelsea, a 4-0 thumping in October which was a reality check for the side. Since then, United have improved in all departments and have learnt how to win matches even in toughest of conditions as they showed very recently West Ham United in the league.
And now, the Red Devils are on the best run of games possible, having won nine games on the spin in all competitions, as they prepare to challenge on all fronts, as Mourinho declared they would try and do, in his first press conference as United manager.
The positive run of results indicate that the Red Devils have found their rhythm and that Mourinho has managed to rotate his team well enough to produce consistent results, the wins haven't been 4-0 or 5-0 victories, but the fact that the team is now getting three points on a consistent basis, is what is keeping the fans happy and satisfied.
United sit five points behind Liverpool, who are in second place with 44 points and with three points separating teams from 3rd to 6th, it is vital for the Red Devils to take advantage of any slip-ups from their top four rivals as they enter the busiest part of the season, with domestic competitions kicking into the schedules, this is where the squad depth is best tested for all the top teams.
Revitalised players a major factor in winning streak
One of the major reasons for this excellent run of results for United has been the good form of some of the returning players to the team, the partnership of Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones combined with the excellent form of Armenian international Henrikh Mkhitaryan have been a feature of United's wins.
With United facing a defensive crisis earlier in the season, Mourinho opted for an untested pairing in Rojo and Jones, with the Argentinian a much criticised player for his inconsistent displays at left-back and Jones having rarely played regular football so far in his United career.
The duo have been excellent at the heart of United's defense and have provided much joy for Mourinho, their performances have given the Portuguese an assurance that he doesn't have to worry about defensive cover for the team, given the fact that Eric Bailly has departed for the African Cup of Nations and Chris Smalling just returning from an extended injury break.
The return to the team of Mkhitaryan has excited United fans across the world, the Armenian had struggled to live up to expectations early in the season but now looks like he has settled into the team and has learned the ways of the Premier League as he has gradually started to put in consistent performances for the Red Devils since his return to the side.
The Armenian's versatility in midfield means that he can excel in both the 4-2-3-1 as well as the 4-3-3 systems, should Mourinho choose to utilise either of the formations against Klopp's Liverpool on Sunday. He has operated on either side of the big Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic and has excelled in delivering quality for Ibrahimovic as well as Anthony Martial, both of whom have enjoyed the benefits of Mkhitaryan's return.