• Written by Steven Harrison
• Categories Football

Liverpool host their eternal rivals Manchester United at Anfield on Saturday afternoon in a highly anticipated Premier League showdown.

LIVERPOOL NEWS
The international break came at a good for Liverpool who struggled over recent weeks, with Jurgen Klopp’s men hoping to revitalise their season in a pivotal fixture.

Liverpool are seven points behind Manchester United in the Premier League table, after just seven matches played so far. Man United sit 2nd in the table, trailing their city rival Man City by one single goal in the goal difference column. Liverpool will be reeling with anger following the international break, with Sadio Mane out once again, this time through injury, having sustained a hamstring injury which could see the Senegalese sidelined for up to six weeks.

Adam Lallana is back in Melwood running but isn’t expected back in full team training for several weeks. The Reds have continued their trend of having a leaky defence on from last season. However, a new problem has arisen in recent weeks, with Klopp’s men failing to click in front of goal; number nine Roberto Firmino has not scored in his last four Premier League outings.

MANCHESTER UNITED NEWS
Manchester United meanwhile continue to swash away all before them this season, primarily due to the goal-scoring prowess of Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian marksmen has been lethal in the goalmouth this season, registering seven goals in the league at this early juncture. Like their title challengers Man City, Jose Mourinho’s Man United outfit have been near-impermeable at the back, only conceding two goals so far- that a goal conceded every 315 minutes.

The big injury news for Man United ahead of Saturday is the loss of Marouane Fellaini, having picked up an injury. The will also be without their star midfielder Paul Pogba and Marcus Rojo, while Michael Carrick and Phil Jones are doubts.

BETTING ODDS

Saturday is a tough match to predict given this is all but a derby, with form and statistics flying out of the proverbial window. The Red Devils stifled last season’s encounter to a dour 0-0, and are more than capable of doing so this time around.

Whether such an approach would be acceptable for Mourinho this season, however, is a different conversation altogether. The onus is likely to attack Liverpool more than last season, and with that it is likely to mean viewers will have a real game to watch, one which could see both sides score, but end in a draw.Latest available odds at bet365 website (12/10/17 , 10:30am) :

• Final Result (1X2) : 2.62 – 3.30 – 2.62
• Under/Over 2.5 Goals : 1.90 – 1.90
• Both Teams To Score: Yes (1.70) – No (2.05)
• Draw No Bet: Liverpool (1.83) – Man.Utd (1.83)