Liverpool host Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday with these bitter rivals in very different situations.
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Arne Slot’s Liverpool are the most sensitive in the Premier League and surely fly. While the contract terms of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold may only be a distraction, they have not been so far. Every Liverpool player steps up their efforts and plays glorious attacking football.
Quite the opposite for Manchester United’s new manager, Rubén Amorim, who admitted that he had to face reality: he was in a battle for relegation. United have lost five of their last six games, as the Red Devils are seven points above the relegation zone at the start of 2025. However, they have a predilection for achieving surprising effects against their rivals when they least expect it. In its current form it is almost impossible.
Below is a look at the planned lineups between Liverpool and Manchester United, with both managers having key decisions to make.
Slot has some vital decisions to make and one of them is that of the central defender. With Gómez and Konate injured, Quansah is the only centre-back available to join Van Dijk. That will be the decision, but Endo can play out of position there and that may be an option, as Quansah has struggled in his last few outings. The Alexander-Arnold scenario is intriguing as it continues the hypothesis that he has told Liverpool that he needs to move to Real Madrid. But with Conor Bradley only just recovering from injury, Trent will once again start at right back. It is in the center of the field where the other big decision will have to be made. Gravenberch will start, but which of Jones, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai will he miss? It could be Jones, as the other two have been favorites for some big games this season, but there’s no wrong answer here and Slot has expertly rotated between the three central midfielders. Array above, Salah trio on the right, Gakpo on the left. and Diaz in the middle have been interspersed perfectly in recent games and will actually get the nod. With Diogo Jota, Harvey Elliott and Darwin Núñez as elements on the bench, Slot can replace things in the game on offense and has many other characteristics.
——- Onana ——-
—- Yoro —- De Ligt —- Martinez —-
—— Mazraoui —- Mainoo —- Ugarte —— Dalot —-
—— Amad —— Fernandes ——
——- Hojlund ——
Where can you start with this Manchester United lineup? Many players have had problems with the 3-4-2-1 formula that Amorim likes and the center backs have been rotated and lack confidence. Yoro may feature in this game due to his extra speed and mobility, while De Ligt and Maguire will fight for the central spot and Martinez will likely start moving down the left even though he had a nightmare against Newcastle. We will most likely see the same wide defenders as at Man City with Mazraoui on the right and Dalot on the left giving United more solidity, while Mainoo and Ugarte (back from suspension) will surely get support in the midfield after Casemiro and Eriksen’s experience in the game against Newcastle went even worse. Amad Diallo has been one of the few bright spots this season and will get a start under the hard work of Hojlund. Bruno Fernandes has returned from suspension and will return directly. To begin with, start making the lineup and United want you to stay calm and use your experience to launch any counterattacks they can muster.
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