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Liverpool welcome Manchester United to Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, desperate to stop the rot after three straight defeats in all competitions.
Arne Slot’s side have gone from early-season control to creeping anxiety, with stoppage-time goals turning victories into collapses. The international break offered a reset, but the pressure is back on as their friends from Manchester roll into town.
Those late setbacks against Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea exposed a loss of rhythm as much as form. Liverpool’s new-look attack has misfired, and the defence that once looked settled has started to wobble.
Slot faces the biggest test of his tenure so far, needing a response to keep pace near the top. A fourth straight defeat would mark Liverpool’s worst run in nearly four decades.
If there’s a saving grace, it’s Anfield. The Reds have won all five home games this season and still generate the intensity that can overwhelm visiting sides.
A match of this magnitude should jolt their key players into life, not least Mohamed Salah, who has gone quiet but rarely stays that way for long.
United arrive with more stability but not much consistency. Ruben Amorim’s side have won three of their last five, including a steady 2-0 against Sunderland before the break, yet remain unconvincing on the road.
They are winless in eight away league matches, a sequence stretching back to March, and haven’t won at Anfield since 2016.
How to watch and listen
Kick off is 16:30 BST on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Discovery+ in the UK. Coverage starts from 4pm, with BBC Radio 5 Live providing commentary.
Liverpool team news
Alisson Becker, Wataru Endo and Giovanni Leoni remain sidelined, while Ibrahima Konate and Ryan Gravenberch face late fitness tests after returning early from international duty.
Slot will hope Konate is passed fit, given how exposed Liverpool have looked without his recovery pace.
Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike could start together for the first time, with Florian Wirtz expected to continue on the left after impressing for Germany.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones are likely to keep their midfield spots, while Virgil van Dijk anchors a defence under pressure to rediscover its usual composure.
Liverpool expected line-up
(4-2-3-1) Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Jones; Salah, Wirtz, Ekitike; Isak
Manchester United team news
Lisandro Martinez and Noussair Mazraoui are both doubts, but Amorim otherwise has a healthy squad.
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The United boss will certainly stick with the 3-4-2-1 system that finally provided balance in the win over Sunderland, with Mainoo and Fernandes tasked with progressing play against Liverpool’s press.
Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha offer pace and energy either side of Benjamin Sesko, who has scored in back-to-back games and gives United a more direct threat up front.
The back three of Leny Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt, and Luke Shaw is expected to stay unchanged as Amorim searches for defensive continuity.
Manchester United expected line-up
(3-4-2-1) Lammens; Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Amad, Mainoo, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko
Liverpool vs Manchester United stats
– Liverpool are 5/5 at home in all competitions this season.
– United are winless in their last nine league trips to Anfield (D5 L4).
– Salah has 19 goal involvements (13 goals, 6 assists) against United – more than any player in Premier League history.
– United have conceded three or more goals in each of their last two away league matches.
– Both teams have scored in four of the last five meetings.
– Liverpool have failed to keep a clean sheet in six consecutive matches.
Liverpool vs Manchester United predictions
Liverpool have had time to regroup, and the return to Anfield should bring a sharper edge.
Slot’s side still create plenty of chances but have struggled to finish games off. United’s travel sickness, coupled with their tendency to concede high-value xG chances, makes this a difficult trip.
Expect Liverpool to reassert themselves, but not without a scare. Amorim’s side can threaten in transition, and a goal for the visitors feels likely given both teams’ recent defensive records.
Salah’s track record in this fixture is outstanding, and this could be the game that kick-starts his season.