Man Utd v Liverpool predictions: Liverpool can get the better of old rivals

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Manchester United v Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Premier League, 4.30pm Sunday

Best bet

Liverpool
1pt 31-20 Betfair

Team news

Manchester United
Phil Jones and Anthony Martial (both knee) remain sidelined.

Liverpool
Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez (both knee) and Joel Matip (ankle) are ruled out.

Match preview

Manchester City's victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday means a home defeat for Manchester United against Liverpool would settle the Premier League title race with four rounds of matches still to play and the outgoing champions look up to the task.

United are on the brink of reaching a Europa League final after hammering Inter 6-2 at Old Trafford on Thursday but their efforts to nail down second place in the league could be undermined.

Fixtures between the fierce north-west rivals are usually hotly contested but Sunday's fixture looks of much greater importance to Liverpool, who have very little room for error in their pursuit of a top-four finish.

Jurgen Klopp's men finished last weekend in sixth place – four points outside top four – and might feel they need to win each of their remaining five games to have a decent chance of snatching one of the Champions League qualification berths.

Their struggles at Anfield continued last weekend with when Newcastle substitute Joe Willock popped up with a 95th-minute goal to secure a 1-1 draw.

The result left Liverpool with just one win from their last ten home league games but they have been far more effective on their travels, taking 16 points from their last seven Premier League road trips.

Liverpool's away successes this year have included victories at Tottenham (3-1), West Ham (3-1) and Arsenal (3-0) and they should be mentally and physically refreshed for their weekend challenge having had a full week to prepare.

United have an excellent recent record at home to Liverpool, earning three wins and three draws since a pair of Steven Gerrard penalties helped to secure a 3-0 success for the Merseysiders in March 2014.

But they are among a number of top-flight clubs to have noticed a reduction of home advantage during the most unusual of seasons.

All of United's four league defeats have been inflicted at the Theatre of Dreams and even recent victories over West Ham (1-0), Brighton (2-1) and Burnley (3-1) were hard-fought affairs.

In four matches at home to fellow big-six sides – all of which took place before the turn of the year - they have posted losses to Tottenham (6-1) and Arsenal (1-0) and goalless draws against Chelsea and Manchester City.

United have improved since those encounters but there remains a suspicion that their counter-attacking style, which utilises the pace of Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood, is better suited to playing on the road.

The same could be said of Liverpool's fleet-footed front line, which has started to look ineffective in home games against deep-lying defences.

United could choose to play with a low block themselves but having just hammered Inter they are more likely to approach the game with a little more bravado.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side may feel the moment has come for them to tackle Liverpool head on and rely less on tactical nuances but that could be a mistake.

Liverpool might be going through a difficult period but their front three are a massive threat when given space to exploit and any one of them could prove to be the match-winner.

Key stat

Liverpool have won five of their last seven away league games.

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