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Liverpool logo
Premier League | Gameweek 23
Jan 19, 2020 at 4.30pm UK
 
Manchester United logo

2-0

van Dijk (14'), Salah (93')
FT(HT: 1-0)

How Manchester United could line up against Liverpool

Sports Mole looks at how Manchester United could line up for Sunday's Premier League showdown with Liverpool as Marcus Rashford faces a battle to be fit in time.

Manchester United will be the latest team to attempt to stop the Liverpool juggernaut when they visit the home of their greatest rivals on Sunday afternoon.

The Red Devils are responsible for the only blot on Liverpool's Premier League copybook this season, recording a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford - the only one of the leaders' 21 outings so far that they have failed to win.

However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side travel to Anfield sitting 27 points adrift of their hosts and without an away goal in any competition so far this calendar year.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how United could line up for the contest.



Possible MNU XI vs. LIV

Out: Paul Pogba (ankle), Scott McTominay (knee), Marcos Rojo (muscle), Axel Tuanzebe (hamstring)
Doubtful: Marcus Rashford (back), Luke Shaw (hamstring), Eric Bailly (fitness), Timothy Fosu-Mensah (fitness)

> Click here for Manchester United's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match

United's big concern ahead of this match surrounds top scorer Marcus Rashford, who was forced off just 16 minutes after coming off the bench during the midweek FA Cup win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Solskjaer admitted that the gamble of bringing Rashford on as a sub had "backfired", and in his pre-match press conference suggested that he did not expect the 19-goal forward to recover in time to face Liverpool.

However, it would not be the first time that Solskjaer has attempted to pull the wool over the opposition's eyes with an injury doubt to a key player; in the reverse fixture he claimed that David de Gea would not be able to play, only for the Spaniard to start at Old Trafford.

Reports suggest that Rashford will play through the pain barrier, and considering the magnitude of the game United are likely to allow him to do so.

The 22-year-old's importance to the team cannot be overstated, having scored the opening goal in a joint-league high six games this season, while only Liverpool's Mohamed Salah has netted the winning goal on more occasions.

Should Rashford not pass a late fitness test then Mason Greenwood could come in, while Anthony Martial is expected to lead the line - that trio has scored United's last 15 Premier League goals and have netted more across all competitions this season than Liverpool's vaunted front three.

Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay remain sidelined through injury, while Luke Shaw, Eric Bailly and Timothy Fosu-Mensah are all major doubts, meaning that Solskjaer could name an unchanged team to the one which thrashed Norwich City last time out.

One significant change which has happened since that victory is that club captain Ashley Young has left the club, leaving Harry Maguire to lead the team out as United's official new captain for the first time.

> Click here to see how Liverpool could line up for this contest

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Written by
Barney Corkhill
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Virgil van Dijk celebrates scoring for Liverpool on November 30, 2019
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Combined XI: Liverpool vs. Manchester United
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205


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