Manchester United vs Liverpool – Club Friendlies – Preview, Team News and Head-to-Head Stats

2024-08-03 ScoreWaves Staff

The English football landscape is chock-full of fierce rivalries and derby. However, one would have to search long and hard to come up with a derby that holds more prestige than the one between Manchester United and Liverpool.

Liverpool and Manchester United are two of the most storied clubs of European football. Both clubs possess a rich history of winning and success. However, in recent years, Liverpool have consistently held the upper hand over the Red Devils in several aspects of football.

But a new season brings a fresh start, and an intriguing preseason clash between the two rivals awaits us. The game will take place at the Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.

Manchester United vs Liverpool – Match Preview

Whenever Liverpool takes on Manchester United fireworks are bound to happen. United and Liverpool are two of the most successful English clubs. However, the Red Devils have endured a period of relative failure in recent years. They last won the Premier League title in 2013. Unsurprisingly, that season was Sir Alex Ferguson’s swansong. So, despite hiring managers like Jose Mourinho and Erik Ten Hag, United still haven’t reached the pinnacle of English football.

Having said that, in the two seasons that Ten Hag has been in charge at United, he has secured two trophies: the Carabao Cup in the 2022-23 season and the FA Cup in the 2023-24 season. Despite this, the Dutch coach has endured criticism because of United’s inconsistent performances. United faithful’s annoyance at Ten Hag’s tactics grew so much that many wanted him to be sacked. However, the Red Devils’ hierarchy decided to give the Dutch coach more time. Many feel that the 2024-25 season will be Ten Hag’s last opportunity in Manchester.

However, the 2024 preseason hasn’t gone according to plan for Erik Ten Hag. United lost their first match of the preseason by 1-0 against Norwegian side, Rosenberg. They then followed that performance up with victories against Rangers, Arsenal and Real Betis. But on the flip side, the Red Devils already have a lengthy injury list.

On the contrary, fellow Dutch coach Arne Slot has had a much smoother preseason. Liverpool professionally overcame Betis by a scoreline of 2-0 in Slot’s debut. However, it was his second match incharge that impressed most fans. Slot’s new-look Liverpool defeated Arsenal by 2-1. The Reds now face a depleted Manchester United in a game which will surely attract record viewership.

Manchester United vs Liverpool – Team News and Updates

Liverpool began the post-Klopp era in a promising manner. However, many fans have been left perplexed by the Reds’ inactivity in the transfer market. With the Transfer Deadline Day less than a month away, Liverpool still haven’t brought a new player. They have been linked with Takefusa Kubo and Anthony Gordon. However, no deals have materialized so far.

Despite their lack of transfer activity, the Reds have appeared solid this preseason, largely because most of Liverpool’s key players are fit. In a recent press conference, Slot confirmed that there are no new injury concerns for the team. The only first team player out with an injury is Andrew Robertson.

In stark contrast, Manchester United’s injury list appears to be increasing by the day. New signing Leny Yoro is out for three months, while Rasmus Hojlund has been ruled out for six weeks. Furthermore, Marcus Rashford and Anthony also sustained injuries against Real Betis.

Despite Manchester United’s injury crisis, Ten Hag can still call upon the likes of Mason Mount, Andre Onana, Amad Diallo, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen. Injuries to Rashford and Anthony could also open the door for Hannibal Mejbri to start against Liverpool.

Leny Yoro’s injury could fast track Mattijs De Ligt’s transfer to United, as option at the center back position appears to be non-existent. The Red Devils have already agreed personal terms. However, finding an agreement with Bayern Munich on the fee could take some time. Bayern have quoted a price tag of around 50-million euros plus additional bonus payments.

Manchester United vs Liverpool – Head-to-Head Stats

Manchester United vs Liverpool has been a fixture of importance to the cities of Manchester and Liverpool. And that importance has translated into a fierce and competitive derby. Head-to-head statistics prove that. In competitive matches, the Red Devils hold the advantage with 91 wins. Whereas Liverpool have got the upper hand on 81 separate occasions. 70 matches have ended in a draw.