Nemanja Matic in action for United against Liverpool.

Your essential guide to Liverpool v United

Friday 14 December 2018 14:30

With our place in the Champions League knockout stages confirmed, our eyes now return to domestic matters as Manchester United travel to arch-rivals Liverpool this weekend for what is always an eagerly anticipated occasion.

Jose Mourinho's men will travel to Anfield hoping to continue our unbeaten league run against the Merseysiders, which stretches back to March 2014.

Here's everything that you need to know ahead of the big game on Sunday...

Liverpool v United: Key match details
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Sunday 16 December | Premier League | Old Trafford | 16:00 GMT kick-off | Live build-up on MUTV from 14:30 GMT | Referee: Martin Atkinson

WHAT'S THE TEAM NEWS?
Speaking in his press conference on Friday morning, the boss confirmed that David De Gea and Nemanja Matic, who were rested for the Reds' Champions League fixture against Valencia in midweek, will be available for Sunday's match. Meanwhile, Mourinho is hoping to assess a number of key players over the weekend to see if they will be fit to face Liverpool. Chris Smalling, Matteo Darmian and Diogo Dalot were all absent on Wednesday night due to injury complaints while Alexis Sanchez, Victor Lindelof, Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw were also left in Manchester.

WHAT ABOUT LIVERPOOL?
Liverpool will be without Joel Matip for Sunday's Premier League clash. The defender suffered a broken collarbone in Tuesday's 1-0 home win over Napoli and is expected to be out for up to six weeks. Speaking to the media on Friday afternoon, Klopp also indicated that Nathaniel Clyne could deputise at right-back for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has a foot injury. However, the former Southampton defender has only featured once for the Merseysiders this season, in their 2-1 defeat at home to Chelsea in the Carabao Cup.

WHAT'S OUR RECORD AGAINST LIVERPOOL LIKE?
United have faced the Merseysiders on 200 occasions to date and have a fairly solid record, winning 80 times to Liverpool's 65, while there have also been 55 draws. Our recent record at Anfield has also been impressive. United have lost just one of the club's last seven Premier League trips to Anfield, and have earned clean sheets in both visits under Mourinho. Our last victory at Anfield was in January 2016, when Merseyside-born Wayne Rooney lashed home the winner in a 1-0 victory for United. Last season, Mourinho's men took four points against Liverpool, drawing 0-0 away from home before Marcus Rashford's double earned a 2-1 win at Old Trafford in the reverse fixture. 

HOW ARE LIVERPOOL DOING?
With Manchester City falling to their first defeat of the campaign against Chelsea last weekend, Jurgen Klopp's team are currently sitting in pole position at the top of the Premier League table. The Merseysiders are the only team in the division yet to lose, having won 13 of their first 16 league matches. Anfield has become even more of a fortress this season, with the hosts only dropping points at home in the league so far this season against champions City in a goalless draw in October. They also have the best defensive record in the division, conceding just six goals in the league. Like United, Liverpool are through to the last 16 of the Champions League after beating Italian side Napoli 1-0 at Anfield on Tuesday night courtesy of a first-half goal from Mo Salah.

Did you know?
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This weekend will be the 28th time that Jose Mourinho has faced Liverpool in his career. The Portuguese's unbeaten run at Anfield in the Premier League stretches all the way back to January 2007.

WHAT'S MOURINHO'S RECORD LIKE AGAINST LIVERPOOL?
Sunday's game will be the 28th time that the boss has faced Liverpool in all competitions throughout his managerial career. The Portuguese has won 12, drawn nine and lost only six times against the Merseysiders. In fact, you have to go back to January 2007 to find the last time that Mourinho lost to Liverpool in the Premier League, when he was Chelsea boss, as Rafael Benitez presided over a 2-0 win for Liverpool at Anfield. Mourinho is unbeaten against Liverpool as United boss, winning one and drawing three of his four meetings so far. 

WHO'S THE REFEREE?
Martin Atkinson will be the man in the middle on Sunday. The Yorkshireman officiated our goalless draw at Anfield last season and was also in charge when he sent off Steven Gerrard 38 seconds after the former Liverpool captain came on as a half-time substitute in our 2-1 victory on Merseyside in March 2015. The 47-year-old will be joined by his assistants Stephen Child and Lee Betts, with Anthony Taylor acting as the fourth official.

Did you know?
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This weekend's referee, Martin Atkinson, sent off Steven Gerrard 38 seconds after he came off the bench when United beat Liverpool 2-1 in March 2015.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE SCORE WILL BE?
Get involved by predicting the outcome of Sunday's game. Win exclusive prizes throughout the season by playing the Match Predictor.

WHO ARE OUR RIVALS PLAYING THIS WEEKEND?
The Premier League schedule is spread across two days this weekend and gets under way with Manchester City hosting Everton at the Etihad Stadium…

SATURDAY 15 DECEMBER
Manchester City v Everton (12:30 GMT)
Crystal Palace v Leicester City
Huddersfield Town v Newcastle United
Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley
Watford v Cardiff City
Wolverhampton Wanderers v AFC Bournemouth
Fulham v West Ham United (17:30 GMT)

SUNDAY 16 DECEMBER
Brighton & Hove Albion v Chelsea (13:30 GMT)
Southampton v Arsenal (13:30)
Liverpool v Manchester United (16:00 GMT)

Matches kick off at 15:00 GMT unless stated.

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