PREVIEW: LIVERPOOL V MANCHESTER UNITED

How can I follow the game? The match at Anfield kicks off at 8:00pm on Monday.

What a game to come back to… Definitely. United fans everywhere will have been eagerly anticipating this clash during the international break, though the game’s unusual Monday-night slot means we’ll have to wait that bit longer to see the Reds back in action. It’s United’s 197th encounter with Liverpool and our 91st meeting with them at Anfield; under the floodlights, the atmosphere should be one to savour.

How were both sides shaping up before the break? A frustrating 1-1 home draw with Stoke City ended United’s three-game winning run, while Liverpool have won the last five matches in all competitions, including a late 2-1 victory at Swansea City last time out. That left them fourth in the Premier League table but Jose Mourinho’s side can draw level on points with the Merseysiders by winning on Monday. 

What is the early team news? As usual, both managers will need to assess the fitness of their returning international stars before selecting their matchday squads and the fact that this is the first of three games in six days for United will doubtless come into Mourinho’s thinking. The Reds boss will monitor Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Luke Shaw, neither of whom played for their countries during the break, while Phil Jones is still sidelined. The hosts will check on Adam Lallana, Georginio Wijnaldum, Dejan Lovren and Nathaniel Clyne, while Emre Can could return from injury.

We’ve done well at Anfield recently, haven’t we? Well, the 2-0 Europa League last-16 defeat there in March was an undoubted disappointment, but United have won the last two league encounters in Liverpool’s back yard – 1-0 in January this year (courtesy of Wayne Rooney’s late strike) and the Juan Mata-inspired 2-1 triumph in March 2015. That took United’s tally of Premier League wins at Anfield to 12 – more than any other visiting side. Mourinho also has a strong record at the ground as a manager: he won four, drew one and lost just one of his six visits there in charge of Chelsea.

Who are their key men? Brazilians Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino continue to impress in a three-pronged attack with summer arrival Sadio Mane; the trio have nine league goals between them so far and have helped their side claim the scalps of Arsenal, Leicester City and Chelsea. Adam Lallana, one of the better performers in England’s unhappy Euro 2016 campaign, also seems to have found a new lease of life on Merseyside this term.

Their manager’s quite a character… Indeed. But while Jurgen Klopp is often a jovial, easygoing personality in front of the cameras, he will be steadfastly determined to mount a serious title challenge in his first full season in charge, having joined from Borussia Dortmund a year ago. The 49-year-old German made six signings in the summer and, with Liverpool playing a fluid, exciting brand of football this season – no team has scored more than their 18 league goals – there is an air of optimism around Anfield that they could end their 27-year wait for the championship.

Any other facts I can impress my mates with? The last time United faced Liverpool on a Monday was September 2004, when two goals from Mikael Silvestre helped Sir Alex Ferguson’s side win 2-1 at Old Trafford.

Credit: MUFC Website