One of the most heated… and hated rivalries in all of sports continues this Sunday, January 15th when Manchester United hosts Liverpool at Old Trafford in a crucial English Premier League clash. United is coming off of a 2-0 home win over Premier League side Hull City in the first leg of the English League Cup semifinals on Tuesday. Liverpool also faced Premier League opposition in their League Cup semifinal on Wednesday and was shutout 1-0 in the south coast by Southampton.
Manchester United vs Liverpool – bet365 Soccer Betting Line:
- bet365 currently lists Man United as the favorites to win the game at 21/20 with Liverpool 13/5 and a draw at 12/5
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Manchester United vs Liverpool – Head to Head:
The clubs met back in October and played to a 0-0 league draw in Liverpool. Overall, the two clubs have met 225 times and it’s as close as can be with Man City winning 87, losing 63 and drawing the other 75. Man City has won just eight of the past 24 encounters. Man United took both league games last season with a 1-0 win at Anfield and a 3-1 victory at home. They also met twice in the Europa League with Liverpool winning 2-0 at home and drawing 1-1 at Old Trafford. Man United has eight wins in the past 13 meetings along with three losses and two draws.
Manchester United – A Closer Look:
Man United enters the match in sixth position place in the Premier League after 20 games with 39 points from 11 victories, six draws and three losses. They’ve scored 31 goals and have conceded 19. They won their first three league matches of the season and now have eight victories in their past 17 league games and seven wins in the past 12, including six in a row. They’re also uneaten in their past 15 contests overall with 16 wins in their past 25 games in all competitions. These 15 matches consist of 12 victories and three draws, but they have six draws in their last 14 league outings. United has five wins, four draws and two losses at home in the league with 26 goals for and seven against.
Man United still trails league-leading Chelsea by 10 points though and is five points behind second-place Liverpool. But they’re just three behind Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur and a berth in next season’s European Champions League and are two points behind fifth-place Arsenal. Manager Jose Mourinho has just a couple of injury problems to deal with as defender Marcos Rojo is questionable and James Wilson could miss the rest of the campaign. Also, defender Eric Bailly is away at the African Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast. However, striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is expected to return after missing Tuesday’s game due to illness.
Liverpool – A Closer Look:
The Reds enter the weekend in second spot in the Premier League, five points back of Chelsea. Liverpool has 44 points from 13 victories, five draws and two losses with a league-high 48 goals for and just 23 against. Their goal is to finish the season at least in the top four to earn a place in the 2017/18 European Champions League, but are also legitimate challengers for the title. They have a two-point gap on third-place Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, a three-point lead over fifth-place Arsenal and are five up on sixth-place Man United. Liverpool enjoyed a 15-game undefeated string earlier this season in all competitions.
However, they’re now winless in their last three games overall with a loss and pair of draws, but have just two defeats in their last 24 outings in all competitions. Manager Jurgen Klopp has several injury concerns to deal with as forward Danny Ings and goaltender Adam Bogdan are out for the season. Midfielder Marko Grujic and defender Joel Matip are listed as day to day. Midfielder Jordan Henderson is also questionable. In addition, Sadio Mane is away at the African Cup of Nations with Senegal. Liverpool has six wins, three draws and two losses away from home with 22 goals for and 16 against. They have seven clean sheets in their previous 12 games in all competitions.
Manchester United vs Liverpool – Takeaway:
This is a huge rivalry no matter where the teams are in the standing. So it’s a bonus that this game is crucial to the title and top-four hopes of both clubs. The game is sometimes energetic and passionate, at least in the stands, but can also be a dull affair on the pitch. The fans deserve an offensive showdown here and will hopefully get it.
By Ian Palmer
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