Arne Slot has named his Liverpool starting XI to take on Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League, with decisions made over Alexander Isak and Alisson Becker
14:15, 03 May 2026Updated 14:17, 03 May 2026
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot and striker Alexander Isak.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot and striker Alexander Isak.(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Liverpool is without Alexander Isak for its game against Manchester United in the Premier League, meaning both of the big-money number nines that the Reds brought in last summer are sidelined.
Alisson Becker is not fit enough to start in goal, so Freddie Woodman is between the sticks after he did well against his boyhood side, Crystal Palace, at Anfield last weekend. Curtis Jones remains at right-back having impressed in that position in the last couple of fixtures, with Andy Robertson at left-back.
Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch are in midfield, with Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo and Jeremie Frimpong in attack. Rio Ngumoha is among the options to call upon from the bench.
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"I think it’s always like that," Arne Slot said when he was asked about the importance of this fixture in terms of where Liverpool will finish in the Premier League standings.
"Every game you play has an influence on your league position. That’s not only when you play Manchester United, it’s every week in every game.
"But we are aware of the fact that it’s a very big game, not only because we play Man United, but definitely also to qualify for the Champions League and to get the highest possible position in the league table, which of course is something we want.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot
Liverpool manager Arne Slot(Image: Getty Images)
"We wanted to, of course, win the league. That’s not possible. And then you have to try to end up as high as possible, and that’s what we are trying week in, week out, and that’s what we’re going to try Sunday again as well."
If Bournemouth fails to beat Crystal Palace in that match today, a draw would see Manchester United confirm a place in next season's Champions League spots. Likewise, Liverpool would need to win today's game to ensure its spot in the top five.
"I think last season when we played them, they were not in the same league position as they are now," Slot added. "Then, I also said that their players are much better than the league position shows.
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"Another time, another transfer window adding a lot of players and that has resulted, I would almost say finally, in that we now see how good their players are, in terms of looking at the league table.
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"We always knew that they were really good, but now they are also showing it in the league table. It might be a bit of an advantage that they only play once a week.
"But as I said, when we played them every single time, I saw before we played, in the lead-up to the game, analyzing them, how good they are. And every time we played, I felt the same. Now they have become, especially under Michael Carrick."
Liverpool starting XI: Woodman; Jones, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Frimpong, Gakpo, Wirtz. Subs: Pecsi, Gomez, Kerkez, Chiesa, Nyoni, Morrison, Ngumoha, Ndiaye, Wright.