Hot Reds to press home advantage

Premier League
Sky Sports 1, 8pm

Liverpool have excelled in the heavyweight matches this season – taking seven points from trips to Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea – and are value 6-5 favourites to beat Manchester United at Anfield.

Given the difficulty of Liverpool’s early-season schedule – they have faced three of the league’s big six and played just two matches at home – it is to their huge credit that the Merseysiders go into this match with a mathematical chance of reaching the top of the table.

A three-goal victory would see them displace Manchester City at the summit, but the sole focus for Jurgen Klopp will be on delivering his first Premier League victory over the Red Devils.

Klopp’s side lost 1-0 in last season’s corresponding fixture – victims of a smash-and-grab raid as United lost the shot count 14-6 but walked away with three points.

That triumph, courtesy of a Wayne Rooney goal, was United’s fourth successive league win over the Merseysiders but that hoodoo was lifted later in the campaign when Liverpool came through a Europa League round-of-16 tie 3-1 on aggregate.

Liverpool’s progress to the Europa League final was an indication of the strides they were making under Klopp and that process of improvement has accelerated over the summer thanks to the signings of Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum and Joel Matip.

Mane has grabbed the headlines with his three goals, including a goal of the season contender in the 4-3 triumph at Arsenal, while Wijnaldum has slotted into the midfield as if he had been at Anfield for several seasons and Matip’s power and pace have made a huge difference at the back.

Wijnaldum and Adam Lallana could miss out through injury but Liverpool have good players waiting in the wings.

Daniel Sturridge, who has scored in three of Liverpool’s last four home matches against United, could start up front and a possible recall for Emre Can would add a bit of midfield steel which could come in handy against a team with United’s attacking potential.

United are at the start of an important six days with league matches away to Liverpool and Chelsea sandwiched either side of a Europa League clash at home to Fenerbahce.

Failure to win any of them will substantially diminish their chances of playing in next season’s Champion League. But with three victories they will be in the thick of the title race and take a big step closer to reaching the Europa League knockout stages.

Jose Mourinho insists the outcome at Anfield will not define United’s season but a defeat would leave his team five points outside of the top four with a daunting match at Chelsea to come on Sunday.

The Portuguese boss was brought in to give United a tactical advantage in the big games but got his selection wrong in the 2-1 loss at home to Manchester City and admitted as much by making a double substitution at half-time.

Since then United’s results and performances have been mixed and they seem no nearer to finding the right balance in midfield with Paul Pogba struggling to live up to his exorbitant price tag.

Pogba has bundles of ability and should be feeling more confident after scoring in France’s 1-0 victory away to Holland last week but his maverick style and eagerness to push forward could be a problem in the big games when United will need to protect their back four.

Liverpool will press them at every opportunity and United will either have to match their energy or show immense technical skill to play through their energetic opponents.

There is no doubting the individual quality United possess in attack with Zlatan Ibrahimovic looking every inch the world-class performer he was expected to be and Marcus Rashford seemingly improving with each game.

However, Liverpool have looked a more complete team over the first two months of the season and are well worth backing at odds-against.

Recommendation
Liverpool
2pts 6-5 general

Spreadwise: quick Mane possesses a goal threat

Sadio Mane is already a firm favourite with Liverpool fans after making a dynamic start to his Reds career and his status may receive a further boost at Anfield on Monday night because he looks the man most likely to put Manchester United to the sword.

Daniel Sturridge, who may return to the side at the expense of injury doubt Adam Lallana, is pitched at the top of Sporting Index’s goal minutes quotes at 22-25. But a better value option for buyers is to get long of Mane goal minutes at 13-16.

Liverpool pushed the boat out to sign Mane this summer – agreeing a deal which may eventually eclipse the £35m club record paid for Andy Carroll in January 2011 – but it looks like shrewd business.

Mane has netted in three of his six league appearances this season and has been on target in both of Liverpool’s home fixtures.

He generally plays down the right and that position could be advantageous this evening because it looks United’s biggest area of defensive weakness.

United’s left-back position will either be filled by Daley Blind – a utility player who lacks the pace to match Mane – or Luke Shaw, who is back in training but hasn’t played since Jose Mourinho blamed him for the 3-1 defeat at Watford.

Either way, Mane has every chance of making a major impact on the game and, if any decent chances fall his way, he is confident enough to take them.

Liverpool will need to be watchful at the other end if they are to keep a lid on United talisman Zlatan Ibrahomvic.

The Swede tops the United scoring charts with four league goals and he relishes the big occasion. He gets a 16-19 goal minutes quote while Marcus Rashford – scorer of three goals in five league appearances this season – is pitched at 12-15 by Sporting Index.

Recommendation
Buy S Mane goal minutes
at 16 Sporting Index