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Update4 09:40PM: Salah scores for Liverpool!!
Update5 09:12PM: Rashford scores for United!!
Update4 08:17PM: Sancho scores for United!!
Update4 07:30PM: Ten Hag has made four changes to his team with Harry Maguire dropped in place of Raphael Varane. Scott McTominay, Anthony Elanga and Tyrell Malacia replace Fred, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luke Shaw.
United fans are protesting against the Glazers before tonight’s game.
Here is the confirmed matchday squad for the Monday night showdown.
Maguire and Ronaldo are among those to drop to the United bench.
Overall there are four changes made by Erik ten Hag as he targets his first proper victory.
Starting XI: De Gea; Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Malacia; McTominay, Eriksen; Elanga, Fernandes (capt), Sancho; Rashford.
On the bench: Heaton, Maguire, Ronaldo, Martial, Fred, Shaw, Wan-Bissaka, Van de Beek, Garnacho.
Update3 03:00PM:
Jurgen Klopp has played down the impact of Liverpool’s 9-0 aggregate win over Manchester United last season on tonight’s clash between the two sides.
United finished in sixth place and were on the wrong end of 5-0 and 4-0 drubbings by rivals Liverpool last year.
Yet Klopp was quick to dismiss the impact of those results on this evening’s showdown. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: ‘I don’t think about these kind of things.
“It makes life not easier when you arrive there now. It’s already a very, very, very important game – as if it wasn’t important enough before – for United and for us as well, we are not over the moon about our start.
‘In all the media, everywhere, everyone will remind United about the results we had last year. But I knew last year they wouldn’t help for next year.”
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Erik ten Hag insists he is still the right man to bring back the glory days to United despite the club’s horrendous start to the season.
Ten Hag has lost his first two Premier League games to Brighton and Brentford, leaving United second bottom of the table going into Monday’s clash with Liverpool.
It has put Ten Hag under pressure far earlier than he could ever have expected, but the Dutchman won’t change his masterplan and insists he will get it right.
‘I’m not here for myself, I’m here to restore the club,’ said Ten Hag. ‘I knew before that this is a challenge and I wanted this challenge.
‘I knew before that it was going to be hard, but I wanted that because in my career everywhere the start was difficult but I got it done – and I’m convinced I (will) get it done here as well.
‘I chose this project. I knew it was a process and I will stay consistent to the philosophy and to the plan we had. I keep confidence in the co-operation I have in the players and also the coaches and the directors.’
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Sportsmail columnist Danny Murphy believes United and Liverpool would be in completely contrasting states right now had the former beaten them to Jurgen Klopp in 2015…
“The biggest compliment I can give Jurgen Klopp is that every Manchester United fan who barracks him tomorrow night would actually love to have him at Old Trafford.
There’s little doubt Klopp’s move to Liverpool in 2015-16 instead of replacing Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford — as United had considered — has changed the history of both clubs.
I’m convinced if Klopp were manager of United, they wouldn’t have gone five years without a trophy — and Liverpool wouldn’t have won everything, unless they’d somehow managed to get Pep Guardiola instead!,” Murphy said.
Read more of Murphy’s column here:
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Update2 12:30PM: FIFA 22 predicts that United could struggle once again, being dominated by Liverpool and conceding four at Old Trafford. Despite only having four shots, United were prolific and scored twice, with the defending the issue once again for Ten Hag’s side. FIFA 22 predicted final score: Man United 2-4 Liverpool.
Read Full article here.
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Update1 11:30AM: Marcus Rashford has called on the Man Utd squad to come together and bounce back from their heavy defeat at Brentford with a win over Liverpool to get their season back on track.
United’s 4-0 thrashing in west London last weekend left Erik ten Hag’s side rock bottom of the Premier League, having also lost their season opener at home to Brighton.
“We have a chance to put it right and there’s no better game to do that than Liverpool at Old Trafford,” Rashford told Sky Sports.
“If we can play well and get a result it will be positive for us and get us going for the season.”
Asked if United haven’t always worked as a unit this season, the forward said: “In moments in the games, it’s not happened and we’ve paid the price.
“It’s something we need to do for as long as possible during 90 minutes. We understand in a 90-minute game it can bring you different challenges but as long as we’re all together I’m confident we can deal with whatever is thrown our way. The sooner we do that the better.
“For us it’s just about getting points on the board. We want to get going for the season and once we do that we’ll get a feel for winning again.”
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Manchester United are set to play Liverpool at Old Trafford on Monday night.
Liverpool defeated United 5-0 at Old Trafford in October last season and that was the beginning of the end for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was sacked one month later. United have suffered two humiliating defeats this term and it seems not much has changed.
United have lost against Brighton and Brentford and Erik ten Hag now has the challenge of winning the Reds’ first points of the season versus Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s side is also winless and they head into this game after drawing with Crystal Palace.
Darwin Nunez was shown a red card in that match and he’s unavailable through suspension. Regarding United’s team news for Liverpool, Victor Lindelof is still injured, but Ten Hag has confirmed that Anthony Martial is in contention to play.
Recalling Anthony Martial to his best role would be logical to freshen up the attack.
Meanwhile, Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp claims his team should be awarded a win if their trip to face Manchester United is postponed due to fan protests again.
United’s home match against Liverpool in May 2021 had to be rearranged after a group of fans broke into Old Trafford to protest against the Glazer family’s ownership of the club.
The match was supposed to be played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus protocols in place at the time, but had to be suspended when around 200 fans broke into the stadium.
A fresh protest by United fans is planned before Monday’s meeting between the two clubs, and Liverpool boss Klopp feels his side shouldn’t be the ones punished if the match ended up being postponed again as a result.
“Plans for the game not happening? Yes, going home on the bus,” Klopp said. “I really hope it will not happen but if it does happen I think we get the points.
Check back for continuous updates throughout the day.