Manchester United v Liverpool odds, form, team news & verdict

Premier League: Manchester United v Liverpool

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 4.30pm Sunday

Match odds

4-1 Man Utd
8-11 Liverpool
3-1 Draw

Form

Sir Alex Ferguson claimed his greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool off their "effing perch" so the legendary Scot will no doubt be more anxious than most when watching the Premier League leaders strut their stuff at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Liverpool have raced into an astonishing eight-point lead after just eight matches, winning every Premier League match this season to go odds-on to end their 29-year wait for a title.

Jurgen Klopp's side would equal the best ever Premier League start should they win at Old Trafford and also match Manchester City's record-breaking 18 straight successes as the rampant Reds aim to continue their winning run, which started on March 10.

United have triumphed in just four league matches in the same period and sit 12th in the table, 15 points behind their bitter rivals.

Team news

David de Gea has been ruled out after injuring his groin playing for Spain on Tuesday and joins Paul Pogba on the sidelines, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hopes to have Anthony Martial, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Jesse Lingard back to fitness.

Liverpool welcome back a big hitter in the shape of goalkeeper Alisson, while Mohamed Salah is set to shake off an ankle complaint. Joel Matip is also back in training.

The tactical battle

This is the shortest price Liverpool have ever been to win a Premier League game at Old Trafford and it will be interesting to see whether Klopp sends the Reds out with the same attacking intent as if this were a match against a lesser light rather than the most successful club in English football.

He didn't last season, when Liverpool were relatively conservative by their standards. They had 65 per cent possession, but forced just one shot on target and had to settle for a 0-0 stalemate with the injury-hit hosts which ultimately helped to hand the title initiative to City.

United have struggled for fluency and a pattern of play, not helped by injuries. They did look at their best early in the season, breaking swiftly with Martial interchanging with Marcus Rashford, and the way Liverpool set up could help United return to those counter-attacking ways.

Verdict

Liverpool are worthy of their odds-on status but they have been pretty unconvincing on the road with the single-goal successes at Southampton, Chelsea and Sheffield United and have had some scary moments along the way.

However, United are struggling and this is as tricky a game to bet on as you are likely to see. A £10 first goalscorer punt on Sadio Mane to score first would have returned a £292.50 profit on Premier League matches in 2019 so perhaps that is the best route.

Draw 1-1.

Key stats

• Under 2.5 goals has collected in Man Utd's last eight outings
• United have lost only one of their last 13 home games against Liverpool and none of the last five
• Mohamed Salah has not scored first in a Premier League match in his last 24 appearances
• Liverpool have won their last 17 Premier League games and scored at least twice in 16 of those.

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport