Premier League fixtures Q&A: Sportsmail reveals exactly how schedule is compiled
Liverpool also have an FA Cup quarter-final replay to look forward to next month, and should they make it past Blackburn at Ewood Park then a semi-final against Aston Villa will look winnable for the Reds. Arsenal and Reading await the winners in the final, and should Liverpool make it that far and break into the top four this season then it would be a remarkable achievement considering where they were a few months ago. They have done a very good job of salvaging something from what looked to be a dismal campaign at one poiCentral to their improved form has been a much better defensive record, which was their major downfall both at the start of this season and throughout the previous campaign. They struggled to keep a clean sheet during the first half of this season but have now kept seven in their last nine Premier
that with three points tome advantage could prove to be key this afternoon, with Liverpool in fine form at Anfield. They have won their last four league games in front of their own fans and are unbeaten in nine in the league - a run that stretches to 14 in all competitions. The last visiting team to win here was Chelsea back on November 8, since when Liverpool have won seven of their subsequent 14 games. Seven draws in that time does represent a lot of dropped points, but they have found a winning streak ahead of today's gThey have only been beaten three times all season at Anfield, and two of those defeats came at the hands of Real Madrid and Chelsea when Liverpool were really struggling for form. They did generally avoid home defeats even during their early-season struggles, but now they have begun to enjoy themselves at Anfield again and are playing some nice football and getting good results. They
have kept five clean sheets in their last seven home games in all competitions as weTEAM NEWS: The team news is in and the headline for Liverpool is that there is no The skipper is left on the bench for what will be his final match against Manchester United, with Rodgers naming an unchanged side from the team that beat Swansea on Monday. United also name an unchanged team to the one that beat Tottenham, which means that British record signing Angel Di Maria is left on the bench. Full teams for both sides coming upLIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Mignolet; Can, Skrtel, Sakho; Lallana, Henderson, Allen, Moreno; Sterling, Coutinho, SturridLIVERPOOL SUBS: Jones, Johnson, Toure, Gerrard, Lambert, Lucas, BalotellMAN UTD STARTING XI: De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Blind; Carrick, Herrera, Mata, Fellaini, Young; RoonMAN UTD SUBS: Valdes, Rafael, Rojo, Di Maria, Januzaj, A Pereira, Falcao
12.46pmAt the back, it is the same trusted trio of Can, Skrtel and Sakho, who will need to be particularly wary of the aerial threat posed by Fellaini today. Mignolet continues in goal having been dropped for the reverse fixture but come back fighting having been handed a second chance in the team. He has now kept 12 clean sheets in the league this season, a tally only Southampton's Fraser Forster can better.
12.48pmAs for United, they also make headlines for an omission rather than an inclusion as Di Maria is left on the bench. The Argentine became the most expensive player in British football history when he joined from Real Madrid in the summer, but he has struggled to live up to that price tag so far. He has been heavily linked with a move away from the club in the summer, and being left out of such a big game is such to increase that speculation.
Angel di Maria in action for Manchester United on November 8, 2014
12.50pmLike Rodgers, though, Van Gaal didn't have much of a choice but to leave a star man on the bench considering this side's recent performances. The win over Spurs last weekend was widely regarded as their best of the season, and it is easy to see why the Dutchman has named an unchanged team today. Rojo had also been tipped to make his return from injury, but he is only on the bench as Van Gaal also opts not to change a winning formula.
12.52pmPerhaps United's star player this season has been David de Gea, and he will be hoping to pull off similar heroics to those he managed in the reverse fixture if needed today. United won that match 3-0 but it could easily have been 3-3 if not worse for the Red Devils had their keeper not been in such inspired form. Like Di Maria, he has been heavily linked with a move away this summer, but for now is he likely to be a central figure for United as they aim to clinch Champions League football next season.
Premier League fixtures Q&A: Sportsmail reveals exactly how schedule is compiled
Jordan Henderson of Liverpool celebrates the opening goal with team mates during the Barclays Premier League match between Swansea City and Liverpool at Liberty Stadium on March 16, 2015
League games, with the likes of Mignolet, Can, Skrtel and Sakho all in fabulous form over that time. They have kept clean sheets in a row in all competitions coming into this match and will be confident of extending that streak toRevenge may also be a driving factor for the hosts given their 3-0 defeat in the reverse fixture, a result that left Breating United to fourth place and condemning the Reds to a second consecutive season without Champions League football, and they can take a big step towards doing
o, some very interesting decisions there from both managers. The biggest one from a Liverpool point of view is the absence of Steven Gerrard, who has been such a huge figure in the recent history of this fixture. He relishes playing against the Red Devils and usually rises to the occasion, scoring seven goals in his last 11 league games against United, but he has been left on the bench this afternoon. That will be a huge blow to the skipper, who would have been desperate for one last taste of this fixture.
Steven Gerrard of Liverpool celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Leicester City and Liverpool at The King Power Stadium on December 2, 2014
12.38pmIt is not a hugely surprising decision from Rodgers, however, and he hinted after the Swansea game that Gerrard would not be picked on sentiment alone this afternoon. Simply put, it doesn't matter if you are arguably the greatest player in the club's history, when the team is playing so well it is going to be hard to break back into it. Gerrard has been sidelined through injury recently but Liverpool have continued to pick up results, and Rodgers has opted not to change a winning formula.
12.40pmPerhaps the player most responsible for Liverpool's good form without Gerrard is Jordan Henderson. The stand-in skipper has really stepped up to the plate in his captain's absence and has shown encouraging signs that he could become heir apparent to Gerrard when veteran leaves for LA at the end of the season. Henderson has scored the opening goal in each of the last three Premier League games and is one of the team's most in-form players right now.
12.42pmAnother who has been in fine form recently is Philippe Coutinho, with the Brazilian at the heart of most of Liverpool's good attacking play at the moment. He has the ability to unlock opposition defences and United will need to keep track of him today, particularly with the pace of Sterling and Sturridge in behind. Sterling will want a better day today than he had in the reverse fixture, when he missed a glut of great chances in the 3-0 defeat.
12.44pmSturridge leads the line today as expected, and the striker has certainly made a difference since returning from injury. He hasn't come into the side and started banging in the goals, but his all-round energy and pace has caused extra problems for the opposition, and his link-up play with Sterling is a big bonus to the team. Sturridge is still yet to really hit top form since his comeback, though, and today would be as good a time as any to do that. He has scored in two of his three Premier League appearances against United for Liverpool.
12.54pmAt the back, Jones and Smalling retain their place at the heart of the defence and will need to be alert to the pace of Sterling and Sturridge in behind them. They will also be hoping to get some help from their midfield as the likes of Coutinho and Henderson have done a lot of damage to teams in between the lines in recent weeks. Liverpool have scored a fair few long-range goals recently, so Jones and Smalling may find themselves needing to close those down too.
12.56pmOne of United's key players is Michael Carrick, who may not make many headlines but certainly makes the team tick. He does an understated but vital job in midfield, and that is shown in United's statistics with and without him. They average 2.2 points per game when he is playing this season compared to 1.6 without him. Fellaini has also established himself as an important player with his physical presence in the final third and, while his inclusion often encourages a style of football that many United fans don't agree with, it also brings results more often than not. I suspect the fans would take an ugly win at the home of their great rivals today.
12.58pmRooney again starts up front for United today having shone since returning to a more attacking position. He spent a while playing in central midfield earlier in the campaign but, with Van Persie injured and Falcao struggling for form, he has been restored as the club's number one striker and once again stepped up to the plate with five goals in his last six games in all competitions. He doesn't have a great record here at Anfield, however, last scoring here in 2005.
1pmUnited come into this match as the underdogs despite sitting above Liverpool in the table and actually being in good form themselves. Only Liverpool and Arsenal have amassed more points in the league over the last six games, and 's side are still very much in the mix for a second-placed finish alongside those two teams. Defeat today could prove very costly, but a victory would open up a nice five-point gap between themselves and Liverpool in fifth.
1.02pmOne key factor in the top-four race could be the run-ins, and Manchester United have quite a tough one ahead of them. They still need to face Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal before the end of the campaign, in addition to the likes of Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and West Brom - all of whom have improved drastically since appointing new managers. It is still very much in their own hands, but they will need to fight for it if they are to hold on to fourth spot.
1.04pmA spot in the top four would have been the main priority for Van Gaal going into the season, and failure to achieve that would be a major blow considering how much was invested in the team during the summer. This was always going to be a rebuilding season following the disastrous David Moyes reign, but the club would have wanted to be back in the title race next year and failure to get Champions League football for a second successive season would be a big setback in that goal.
1.06pmThe positive they have had this season is that they have not been involved in any European competition, which means that they have played far fewer games than many of the teams around them in the table. Liverpool had the same advantage last season, but United have also been hit by terrible luck in terms of injuries throughout the campaign. They may not have been able to cope with the extra European workload considering they have been left with a threadbare squad at times anyway, so that is something for Van Gaal to consider whether they are in the Champions League or Europa League next season.
1.08pmAfter the summer business, there was a lot of concern that United had neglected to strengthen at the back, where they really needed to. However, despite also suffering a number of defensive injuries throughout the campaign, only Chelsea and Southampton have conceded fewer goals than the Red Devils this season. That is largely thanks to De Gea, who has been superb, but Van Gaal deserves great credit for managing to keep things tight despite the odds being stacked against him.
1.10pmThey come into today's match having kept three clean sheets in a row in the Premier League, and another this afternoon would hand them four on the trot for the first time since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson. They have won all of those three matches and four of their last five to ensure that they keep up with the in-form Arsenal and stay ahead of Liverpool, but many of their victories this season haven't been too convincing.
1.12pmThat criticism cannot be levelled at their display last weekend as they hammered Spurs 3-0, with goals from Fellaini, Carrick and Rooney killing the game off before half time. It was widely hailed as the club's best performance of the season and perhaps even the best since Ferguson retired, and it came at the perfect time for United ahead of this match. Such a convincing win over a top-four rival will give them huge confidence going into today's match and they will be looking to build on that at Anfield.
Marouane Fellaini of Manchester United is congratulated by teammates Juan Mata of Manchester United and Wayne Rooney of Manchester United after scoring the opening goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotsp
1.14pmEven though the general standard of their performances has been questionable for much of the season, United have become adept at digging results out. They have only been beaten once in their last eight Premier League games and twice in their last 19, winning 13 of those. Their last defeat came more than a month ago now as Swansea ran out 2-1 winners at the Liberty, since when United have a 100% record and have not conceded a goal in the league.
1.16pmUnder Moyes last season, United were strong on the road but struggled at home. It has been the opposite this term, however, with United boasting the best home record in the division but only managing four victories on their travels. They only have the eighth best away record in the Premier League, picking up just 19 of their 56 points on the road. They don't often lose away games, however, with just one defeat in their last nine in the league.
1.18pmThey have only won two of their last seven away games, however, drawing four and picking up just 10 points from a possible 21 in that time. They still have to travel to Stamford Bridge as well this season, while they won't find many tougher away games than this one today considering the form Liverpool are in at the moment. An improvement is needed on the road if they are to hold on to a top-four spot.
1.20pmPREDICTION: We're 10 minutes away from kickoff in this huge match, which means that it is time for a prediction! Both teams will be full of confidence going into this one and, with plenty at stake, will be desperate not to lose. However, I don't see it being too cagey considering some of the attacking talent on show, and there should be goals. Liverpool have home advantage and are in the better form, so I can see them stealing a march over their rivals and getting all three points today. I'll go for a 3-1 home victory.
The Sports Mole sofa could not separate these two sides, with both panellists going for a share of the spoils which would probably be the best result for the likes of Arsenal, Man City, Southampton and Spurs. Find out what they had to say in our video preview for the game below:
1.24pmLiverpool have a good record against United at Anfield in recent years, winning five of their last seven meeting here in all competitions and losing just one in that time. Their last meeting here came in September 2013, with Daniel Sturridge scoring after just four minutes to give the hosts all three points in a 1-0 victory. That was just the second time in their last eight visits to Anfield that United have failed to score.
1.26pmThis fixture has seen 15 red cards in the Premier League era, a tally only the Merseyside derby (2) can beat over the same timeframe. Incidentally, former United defender Nemanja Vidic got no fewer than four of those, which is a Premier League record for number of red cards shown to a single player in a fixture.
1.28pmThere will also be footballing royalty in attendance at Anfield today, with Brazilian legend Pele a guest of honour. It would be fitting if arguably the greatest player in history was treated to a superb match here. We're just a couple of minutes away from kickoff now.
1 minKICKOFF: Manchester United get us underway for what is still the biggest fixture in English football amidst a cracking atmosphere in Anfield.
3 minUnited have made a really bright start to this match, getting onto the front foot early on and dominating possession in the early stages. It is often Liverpool who make the quick start, but the visitors have started well on this occasion.
4 minFirst chance for Liverpool to threaten as Lallana slides the pass inside the full-back for Sterling. The winger beats Jones to the ball and skips past him in the area, but De Gea is out in timely fashion to mop up the danger.
6 minThe main question over Liverpool's formation today was whether Sterling ot Lallana would play as the right wing-back, and it is Sterling who has started out wide. That takes away some of his attacking qualities, but his is the more natural wide player of the two.
8 minPoor play from Moreno as he carelessly gives the ball away to Mata before conceding a free kick when trying to win it back. United have a chance to put the ball in towards Fellaini in the box here...
9 minMata swings it into the middle, but it is not aimed at Fellaini and Henderson is able to clear. Liverpool break quickly with some brilliant play from Coutinho, but Sterling pass is poor.
11 minReally good spell of possession from Manchester United as they look to take the sting out of the game and the atmosphere. Liverpool keep their shape, but they are having to do a lot of chasing at the moment.
12 minThat passage of possession comes to an end as the ball is lifted in to Fellaini, who wins a header on the edge of the box and knocks it into a dangerous position. Mata just hesitates at the back post, however, and Sakho is able to shepherd it out.
14 minGOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Manchester United (Juan Mata)
14 minUnited strike first in the clash of the titans at Anfield! Mata gets the wrong side of Moreno and is found by an incisive through-ball from Herrera, with the linesman's flag staying down. The Spaniard only has the keeper to beat and makes no mistake, sliding his low finish in off the far post. What a start this has been for United.
16 minWhat have Liverpool got in response, then? United have been comfortably the better side in this opening 15 minutes or so and deserve their lead, with Liverpool failing to really get going so far. They are struggling to keep hold of the ball and the visitors' long balls forward to Fellaini are causing the hosts problems.
17 minSturridge goes for a special one to restore parity as Henderson clips a pass over the defence for Sturridge on the left side of the box. He goes for a Van Basten-esque volley, but slices it high and wide of the near post. Not a bad effort from the striker, but it was always an ambitious one.
19 minYELLOW CARD! The first card of the day is shown to Allen, who drags down Herrera after being caught in possession inside his own half. That is a fairly soft one given the occasion.
21 minWe are used to Liverpool closing teams down high up the pitch and getting in their faces, but it is United who have done that so far today. They have given the Liverpool defence barely any time on the ball whatsoever.
22 minHefty collision between Jones and Lallana in midfield as the United man comes steaming in to an aerial challenge and arrives half a second late. He clatters into Lallana, who is left in a heap on the floor.
23 minLallana is a bit dazed and confused, but he is fine to continue here, which means there won't be an early introduction for Steven Gerrard.
25 minFellaini has lined up Can in the Liverpool defence and United are throwing long ball after long ball up to the Belgian. Can is struggling to deal with that, which is proving to be a useful outlet for the visitors.
26 minVery good goalkeeping from De Gea as he races out of his area to mop up a dangerous attack for Liverpool. United gave the ball away and Sterling immediately looked to release Sturridge from deep, but De Gea was out to clear.
28 minLiverpool just need to get their foot on the ball for a sustained period here. United have enjoyed the lion's share of possession so far and look comfortable, which is not something you can often say for a visiting team at Anfield. The hosts just having got going.
Liverpool were second best in the first half of their match against Swansea on Monday and were fortunate not to go into the break behind on that occasions. It has been a similarly limp display in this opening 45 minutes so far, so Rodgers will be hoping of another improvement after the break - or before if possible.
Van Gaal will be delighted with what he has seen from his side so far. They have built on that performance against Spurs last time out and put in another fine display so farUnited have had 62% possession in this match so far, which is a monumental figure against a Liverpool side in such good form at Anfield. They have been on control and the hosts can have no complaints at being behind right now.CHANCE! Huge chance for Liverpool to get an equaliser against the run of play! Sterling gives the ball down the right for Henderson, who plays a beauty of a pass around the defence for Sturridge. The striker unselfishly plays it inside for Lallana, but he can only guide it just past the post when he should have scored!
That chance has lifted the crowd and the Liverpool team here and all of a sudden it is the hosts who have the momentum. Lallana really should have scored, but even his miss has completely changed this gameAgain De Gea is quick out of his area to mop up a dangerous through-ball from Henderson that was of interest to Lallana. The Liverpool skipper just put too much on it, and De Gea's starting position was good again to deal with it.
Liverpool are playing with a lot more urgency now, looking to get on the front foot whenever possible. United, meanwhile are looking a little more nervous now and they may be content to simply hold on until
half time This is a big period of the match now. Liverpool were comfortably second best for 35 minutes here but have improved a lot since that Lallana chance and are now pushing for an equaliser before the break. If they can get that, it would give them a massive boosetter from United in the last couple of minutes as they have stunted Liverpool's momentum and started to get more of the ball themselves again. They seem to have weathered that brief storm.There will be two minutes of added time at the end
of this frenetic first haSAVE! Mignolet is called into action late in the half as Carrick drives one from distance towards the top corner. He catches it well, but it is fairly comfortable for Mignolet and he holds on to it
HALF TIME: Liverpool 0-1 Manchester UniteMartin Atkinson brings an end to the first half here at Anfield, and it is Manchester United who go into the break with the lead. It was an entertaining opening 45 minutes played at a good tempo, but Liverpool will need an improvement in the second half if they are to avoid seeing their long unbeaten run in the league come to an ent was Juan Mata who got the only goal of the game so far, calmly sliding the ball in off the far post with only Mignolet to beat. It was Herrera who created the chance, sliding the ball inside Moreno to set Mata clean through on goal. The Spaniard made no mistake with his finish to give United a deserved advantage.
Manchester United's Spanish midfielder Juan Mata celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on March 22, 2015
2.26pmIt took the hosts a long time to get going, but they did have one glorious chance to level things up 10 minutes before the break. Sterling and Henderson linked up on the right before the latter played a superb ball to Sturridge, who in turn knocked it inside to Lallana. The midfielder had time to pick his spot just inside the area, but guided his shot narrowly wide when he really should have scored.
Lallana chance. Rodgers will want more urgency and intensity from his side in the second half.
United deserve their half-time lead and have comfortably been the better side so far, but chances have been few and far between for them too. The goal is the only real opening they have created, with a late Carrick shot from range the only other time Mignolet has really been called into action. Van Gaal may be upset that his side have failed to create more considering their dominance, but on the whole he will be delighted with the job his team have done.
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