Liverpool - United live online: Premier League 2018-19

Liverpool 3-1 Manchester United: match report

Two second-half goals from substitute Xherdan Shaqiri gave Liverpool a 3-1 Premier League win over Manchester United on Sunday as Juergen Klopp's side regained top spot with a pulsating performance in the North West derby.

Liverpool roared out of the traps at Anfield and took the game to Jose Mourinho's side, grabbing the lead in the 24th minute when Sadio Mane chested down a pass from Fabinho and slotted past David De Gea.

Against the run of play, United drew level in the 33rd minute when Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker spilled a harmless low cross from Romelu Lukaku and Jesse Lingard pounced on the loose ball to find the net.

The hosts continued to dominate but it was not until the introduction of Swiss international Shaqiri that the game turned decisively in their favour.

Mane's pull back from the byline took two deflections as it ricocheted to Shaqiri on the edge of the area and his shot flew off Ashley Young and into the top corner to make it 2-1 in the 73rd minute.

Seven minutes later fortune was on Shaqiri's side again as another deflected shot, this time off Eric Bailly, beat the helpless De Gea.

Unbeaten Liverpool have 45 points from 17 games with champions Manchester City, who beat Everton 3-1 on Saturday, a point behind.

Liverpool vs Manchester United live online: latest updates

Liverpool vs Manchester United live online: match preview

Liverpool will seek the opportunity to return to the top of the Premier League on Sunday when they host Manchester United at Anfield in an eagerly awaited clash between two sides at opposite ends of the satisfied punters spectrum.

While Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool are riding high on a wave of attacking verve, defensive solidity and general good cheer, José Mourinho has been busy weaving a pall of gloom around Old Trafford as he seeks to explain away a series of bad results and a style of play as easy to digest for United fans as an entire Christmas pudding.

Mourinho’s side go into the game sixth in the league and could find themselves 11 points adrift of Arsenal in fifth if the Gunners beat Southampton earlier in the day. Defeat at Anfield could well spell the end of any realistic hopes of the top four for United, which has become the minimum bar for Mourinho to hurdle in an effort to salvage his side’s league campaign.

For Klopp, it is a glorious opportunity to cement Liverpool’s title credentials while heaping more woe upon Mourinho and Old Trafford into the bargain.

Liverpool

Klopp is not without his injury concerns going into the game, having lost Joel Matip and Trent Alexander-Arnold after the victory over Napoli that sealed Champions League progression.

The latest two absentees join Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Joe Gomez on the sidelines, with Nathaniel Clyne also doubtful for the Anfield clash. That may lead Klopp to play James Milner at right back with Fabinho possibly coming into the midfield.

Liverpool’s front three will remain unchanged, with Mo Salah coming into the game off the back of a hat-trick against Bournemouth last time out.

Manchester United

The main point of interest in United’s starting line-up will be the presence or otherwise of Paul Pogba, the Frenchman having fallen out of favour under Mourinho and increasingly accustomed to observing affairs from the bench. Pogba’s run-out against Valencia hardly assuaged concerns that he has decided to throw in the towel at United and Romelu Lukaku, previously a Mourinho stalwart, is also not guaranteed a place at Anfield.

Mourinho has confirmed that Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford will start but Anthony Martial is struggling for fitness, which may open the door for the Belgium striker. The Portuguese plotter will also have to shuffle his deck at the back with Victor Lindelöf and Marcos Rojo out and Chris Smalling, Matteo Darmian and Diogo Dalot all doubtful.