Liverpool vs Man Utd Barclays Premier League Venue: Anfield Date: Sunday, 6 March Kick-off: 1330 GMT Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day 2; listen to live coverage on talkSPORT and full match commentary on BBC Radio Merseyside, with updates on BBC Radio 5 Live; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles TEAM NEWS Liverpool's club record signing Andy Carroll has trained since Wednesday and is being considered for his debut after overcoming a thigh injury. Martin Kelly is out for a month with a torn hamstring, but Raul Meireles should recover from a knee problem. Wes Brown is expected to partner Chris Smalling in Manchester United's defence, with Nemanja Vidic banned and Rio Ferdinand unlikely to be fit. Ryan Giggs is poised to make a club record 607th league appearance. Liverpool Doubtful: Agger (thigh), Carroll (thigh/fitness), Meireles (knee) Injured: Kelly (hamstring), Shelvey (knee) Manchester United Suspended: Vidic (one match) Doubtful: Evra (unknown), Ferdinand (calf), Owen (groin) Injured: Anderson & Hargreaves (both knee), Evans & Valencia (both ankle), Park (hamstring) MATCH PREVIEW Sir Alex Ferguson has long since achieved his stated mission to knock Liverpool off their perch, but defeat at Anfield would leave the United manager spitting more feathers. "It's the biggest game but only because it's the next game. But everyone plays football to get to the highest level they possibly can and the games between Liverpool and Manchester United are the highest category of games you can get" - Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish He faces a touchline ban after being charged for his outspoken criticism of referee Martin Atkinson in the wake of the midweek defeat at Chelsea. What would bother Ferguson far more is if his team's advantage in the title race is eroded on Sunday. Tensions between Liverpool and Manchester originate from a battle for the lucrative cotton trade in the 19th century, and the hostility remains undiminished when the two most decorated football clubs in England go head-to-head. In the build up to this match, Kenny Dalglish responded to the prospect of United overtaking Liverpool's record of league titles by pointing out that the Anfield club still have the edge because they have won more European Cups. Liverpool, of course, have not dominated the domestic scene since 1990, when Dalglish was first in charge. He quit the following February, and United have gone on to be 11-time champions under Ferguson's guidance. Although this has been an unequal rivalry in the Premier League era, Liverpool have been rejuvenated by the return of Dalglish for a second spell as manager. He has been in opposition with Ferguson since their playing days in Glasgow, and will relish the opportunity to clip United's wings. MATCH FACTS Head-to-head • Liverpool have won their last two home matches against Manchester United, having drawn one and lost five of the previous six. • United have the best Premier League record of any club against Liverpool, with 20 wins and 67 points. • The two clubs have met 155 times in the league, with United ahead by 60 wins to 52. • This is the 20th league meeting as managers between Kenny Dalglish and Sir Alex Ferguson. Ferguson leads by seven wins to four. Dalglish's last league match against United at Anfield was a 4-0 victory in September 1990. Liverpool • Liverpool lost for the first time in nine league and cup matches at West Ham last Sunday. • The club have picked up seven points from their four league matches against Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea this season - more than any other club. • They have dropped 19 points from winning positions. Only Sunderland (20) have fared worse. • Raul Meireles has scored in three of the club's last four league matches at Anfield. Manchester United • United have won five of their last seven league matches. • They are the Premier League's top scorers, with 62 goals in 28 matches. • Tuesday's defeat at Chelsea was United's first against top-half opposition this season. They had won six and drawn five of their previous 11 matches. • This will be Sir Alex Ferguson's 950th top-flight match in charge of the club. He has won 563 games, drawn 226 and lost 160. This will be his 50th league match against Liverpool (W23, D12, L14). • Wayne Rooney has scored 98 Premier League goals for United. LEADING GOALSCORERS Liverpool Gerrard: 8 goals (4 league); Ngog: 8 goals (2 league) NB. Carroll has scored 11 goals (11 league) for Newcastle; Torres scored 9 goals (9 league) for Liverpool before joining Chelsea. Manchester United Berbatov: 20 goals (19 league); Hernandez: 13 goals (9 league) MATCH OFFICIALS Referee: Phil Dowd Assistant referees: Dean Mohareb & Glenn Turner Fourth official: Andre Marriner Liverpool Manager Dalglish set for Man Utd battle - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9415658.stm Man Utd boss Ferguson warns players: "We must not lose our momentum" - http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/man-utd-boss-ferguson-warns-players-we-must-not-lose-our-momentum-1491481
Liverpool v Man United line-ups: Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio, Gerrard, Lucas, Kuyt, Meireles, Maxi, Suarez. Subs: Gulacsi, Carroll, Cole, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, Spearing, Poulsen. Man Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva, Smalling, Brown, Evra, Nani, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Berbatov, Rooney. Subs: Kuszczak, Hernandez, Fabio Da Silva, O'Shea, Fletcher, Obertan, Gibson. Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).
It's only half time but we may as well right this game off as a defeat, thank God Arsenal lost yesterday.
