Sunday afternoon sees Liverpool make the trip to Old Trafford for a classic Premier League encounter against rivals Manchester United.

With just three points and one place separating the two sides in the table, there is plenty at stake in terms of league positioning, even if little else separates them.

A victory for United would move them closer to securing Champions League qualification under Michael Carrick, while a win for Liverpool at the Theatre of Dreams would at least delay any talk of European confirmation for the home side.

Carrick’s impact has been particularly notable, with United collecting 29 points since he took charge—more than any other Premier League side in that period.

Indeed, United’s nine wins from 13 matches (D2, L2) surpass the return managed by the Portuguese coach in his 20 Premier League games at the start of the 2025/26 campaign (W8, D7, L5).

Six of the last seven matches at Old Trafford have gone the way of the home side, and United also boast the third-highest points tally from home fixtures this season with 36.

Red Devils hold the edge

While the fixture may have lost some of its intensity in recent years, it remains one of the Premier League’s standout clashes—one that attracts attention regardless of what is at stake.

Players are usually fired up for it, the atmosphere is always expectant, and more often than not, the meeting between these two sides delivers at least one major talking point.

United’s only defeat in their last five matches came against Leeds United, while Arne Slot’s Liverpool have been beaten just once in their five most recent outings, with Paris Saint-Germain the only side to get the better of them.

Across 193 meetings in all competitions, it is Manchester United who hold the historical advantage, with 74 wins compared to Liverpool’s 65, while 54 encounters have ended level.

Slot chasing history

Recent meetings between the sides have been closely contested, with both teams scoring at least twice in two of the last three clashes. Each side has won once in that period, with the remaining match ending in a draw.

The last time they met at Old Trafford, Liverpool came out on top with a convincing 3-0 victory. If they win again on Sunday, Arne Slot will become the first Liverpool manager in history to win his opening two away league games at the stadium.

United did win the reverse fixture earlier this season at Anfield, thanks to Harry Maguire’s late intervention, and if they repeat that feat on Sunday it would mark their first league double over Liverpool since 2015/16.

However, the hosts have struggled for consistency in this fixture, winning just three of their last 19 league meetings with the Reds, while losing seven and drawing nine.

Liverpool in strong form

Alongside their win in the most recent meeting at Old Trafford, Liverpool have claimed two victories in their last five visits to the ground (D1, L2), matching the number of away wins they managed in the previous 18 trips to the red half of Manchester (D3, L12).

The Reds are also enjoying a three-match winning run in the league, their best streak since the opening five games of the season. However, Arne Slot will be mindful that his side have won only once in their last 12 matches against teams starting the day in the top three (D7, L4).

To shift that particular trend, Liverpool will need to contain Manchester United’s main creative force, Bruno Fernandes.

The Portuguese midfielder has already created 114 chances this season—an extraordinary 53 more than any other player in the Premier League. He is also just one assist short of the all-time single-season record of 20, jointly held by Thierry Henry (2002/03) and Kevin De Bruyne (2019/20).

Salah ruled out of United clash

Liverpool will instead rely on the attacking presence of Alexander Isak if they are to take anything from the game.

Mohamed Salah, who would have been playing what is likely his final Premier League match against United, has been ruled out through injury. No player has scored more against Manchester United in Premier League history than Salah’s 13 goals, including seven at Old Trafford alone.

Isak, meanwhile, is currently at the opposite end of the scoring spectrum, and if he does find the net on Sunday it would be the first time he has scored in back-to-back games for the Reds.

His only previous goal at Old Trafford actually came back in December 2004, during Newcastle United’s 2-0 victory.

Strap yourselves in…

With at least three goals scored in five of the last six meetings between these two sides, it would come as a surprise if this match produced the first goalless draw since December 2023.

United have registered the second-highest total number of shots in the Premier League this season (527), just behind Liverpool, who lead the way with 528.

However, it is the Red Devils who top the charts for shots on target with 194, while Liverpool sit seventh in that category with 154, suggesting Arne Slot’s side could face a tough defensive challenge.