Manchester United vs Liverpool – Premier League – Preview, Team News and Updates

2024-08-30 ScoreWaves Staff

After a brief pause, Premier League football is back, and it's bringing some tantalizing matchups—including the fierce rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United!

These two giants are off to very different starts this season. Liverpool have hit the ground running with back-to-back victories against Ipswich Town and Brentford, showing early signs of momentum. On the other hand, Manchester United have struggled to find their footing—they narrowly edged past Fulham with a 1-0 win but then suffered a heartbreaker against Brighton, with Joao Pedro striking a 95th-minute dagger.

However, form-book goes out of the window when fierce rivals face each other. Manchester United will be desperate for a win to kickstart their season and shake off the early wobbles. Meanwhile, Liverpool will be fired up to keep their perfect start to the 2024/25 campaign intact. It's a battle of pride, passion, and three crucial points—expect fireworks when these two meet on the pitch!

Manchester United vs Liverpool – Match Preview

Liverpool and Manchester United are European football royalties. They are two of the most decorated clubs in English football. But in recent years, the two clubs have moved in different directions. Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool have thrived, winning the Champions League, Premier League, two Carabao Cups, and an FA Cup. Meanwhile, Manchester United have struggled to keep pace. However, with Klopp now gone, there's a sense that United could seize the moment and close the gap, especially with Arne Slot's first season at Liverpool expected to be one of transition.

United haven't held back this summer, splashing around €141 million on reinforcements like Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, and Manuel Ugarte. After backing Erik Ten Hag so heavily in the market, the club's hierarchy will be expecting results, and the pressure is mounting after their recent slip-up against Brighton. What better way for Ten Hag to silence the critics than by securing a statement win in a derby clash against Liverpool?

However, defeating Liverpool won’t be easy, even at Old Trafford. Arne Slot has started his Liverpool career with a bang, winning his first two Premier League games by a comfortable 2-0 scoreline. However, the match against Manchester United, that too at Old Trafford, would be Slot’s first big test as the Liverpool manager. A win for either club would be a massive statement of intent, making Sunday's derby one of the most anticipated and intriguing matches of the season.

Manchester United vs Liverpool – Team News and Updates

We aren’t even a month into the new season and the Red Devils already have a lengthy injury list. Leny Yoro, United’s marquee defensive signing, suffered a metatarsal fracture during Manchester United’s preseason tour. He’s expected to be out until November. Another key player who’s injured is Rasmus Hojland. The Danish striker injured his hamstring in the preseason and will return in mid-September.

Any team without its first-choice striker and defender would struggle. However, that’s not the extent of United’s injury woes. Erik Ten Hag will also miss the services of Tyrell Malacia (knee), Luke Shaw (calf) and Mason Mount for tomorrow’s clash against Liverpool. Furthermore, Swedish defender Victor Lindelof is also doubtful for tomorrow’s game, as he’s recovering from a toe injury.

On the other hand, Arne Slot has a much more manageable injury list. The only injured Liverpool player is Curtis Jones. The 23-year-old Englishman is currently dealing with a groin injury. As a result, he hasn’t trained with the squad. Another noticeable absentee from Slot’s squad could be new signing Federico Chiesa. The Dutch head coach has suggested that Chiesa might not make the trip for the showdown against United.