Liverpool 0-0 Manchester United: result, summary and goals
Liverpool vs Manchester United: live updates
On the whistle match report
by Simon Evans
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker made two vital saves as the champions were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Premier League leaders Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday.
The Brazilian saved a close-range effort from Bruno Fernandes, United's first real chance, in the 75th minute with his feet denying the Portuguese midfielder. Then Alisson did well to keep out a blast from inside the box by Paul Pogba as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's United side finished a disappointing game strongly.
The result leaves United on 37 points, two ahead of second-placed Leicester City, while Juergen Klopp's Liverpool side are third on 34 points after 18 games.
Peep, peep, peep!!! Stalemate at Anfield as neither side could break the deadlock.
Yellow card for Rashford for a foul on Alexander-Arnold and Liverpool have one chance from a free kick. But they can do nothing with it.
Three minutes added on here.
Liverpool have dominated possession but United have probably made more of the clear cut chances.
United bring on Greenwood for Fernandes for the final few minutes.
Liverpool change: Origio comes on for Firmino.
Pogba denied! What a chance for the Frenchman as he rifles a shot from 8 yards out right at Alisson.
Mason Greenwood has been sent to warm up for Manchester United.
Chance Liverpool! Thiago lets fly from distance but De Gea dives to stop the ball heading to the top corner. An athletic save was needed to stop that.
What a chance for United! They may not get a better one. Rashford slots a ball wide to Shaw, who whips in a low cross towards Fernandes by the six yard area as the Portuguese tries to slot the ball passed Alisson. But the Liverpool keeper does well to save.
Pogba gets his head on the end of a decent corner delivery but the shot doesn't trouble Alisson.
Bruno Fernandes completely wastes a free-kick opportunity with a pass to no man's land. The Portuguese midfielder has not been as sharp as normal today.
Rashford takes the direct free kick but blasts the ball against the wall.
Yellow card for Fabinho, who fouls Cavani to give Man Utd a free kick from a scoring position.
Fernandes shoots from distance! But it's a weak effort by his standards and Alisson collects with ease.
Liverpool have had more than 65% of the possession over the hour of play.
First change of the game comes for United and it's a big one as Martial makes way for Cavani.
Maguire stops an amlost certain goal! A cross is whipped in and Maguire sticks out a leg to stop Firmino scoring from 6 yards out.
After a pretty lively opening 10 minutes to the second half, there is currently a brief lull.
Chance United! Martial collects and slots a neat ball to Fernandes but his shot is blocked.
All United can do here is try to soak up the relentless pressure and hope for a chance on the break.
Liverpool immediately have United on the backfoot and are pushing for the opening goal.
Peep! Liverpool get the second 45 underway.
The teams are back on the pitch and ready for the second half!
Peep, peep!!! Half-time at Anfield with the score at 0-0. An open and lively first half during which Liverpool had the better chances, particularly during the first half an hour. But United finally got into the game after 30 minutes and started to pose some threats. All the play for int the second half.
One minute added on here.
Pobga is fouled as United tried to break on the counter. The Frenchman has been hit-and-miss for United but he's been on point so far for the visitors.
Rashford is released again, this time by Wan-Bissaka, but he's flagged for offside. United have found their feet in the last ten minutes.
Pogba plays an exceptional long pass to put Rashford one-on-one with Alisson, who rushes out of his box to clear the danger.
The momentum has swung towards United over the last few minutes, but they have yet to create anything to test Alisson.
Bruno with the free kick! Superb effort! It's close but just wide.
Shaw is fouled as he rushes toward the Liverpool box and now United have a chance with a free kick from a decent scoring poisition.
Half hour gone here and Liverpool are showing their superiority, but have lacked the killer edge to finish any of the several chances they've had. United have yet to have had a sniff at Alisson's goal.
United finally have a chance to test the Liverpool defence with a free kick, which Fernandes floats into the box. The ball bounces around a bit before Liverpool finally clear.
Again Liverpool swarm, again they shoot, again United block, this time Shaquiri is on the rebound but he's sent his effort well over.
Probably fair to say the Liverpool are ALL OVER United at the moment. The visitors need to get some control of this game or an imminent Liverpool goal looks inevitable.
Liverpool have been the more dominant side so far. They have a second corner in quick succession after some sustained pressure but United deal with it. But not long after Firmino has another chance from 10 yards out. Again United bodies block the shot.
Chance Liverpool! Mane is released with a pass that cuts the United defence open. He stops, turns and passes the ball back to tee up Firmino, who rifles a shot high and wide.
Chance Liverpool! Firmino's long-range shot is blocked by Maguire, but Robertson has another go from the rebound. Again United swarm to block the second shot from the full back.
Pogba does well to fend off a challenge before squaring the ball to Fernandes, who tries a first-time through-ball to Rashford, but it's not accurate enough and Liverpool snuff out the danger.
McTominay goes in late on Thiago, leaving the Spaniard in quite of a bit of pain. No card for the Scot there. He's lucky.
Chance Liverpool! Early danger for United as some decent link up play allows Robertson space on the left inside the box to put in a low cross, but he's mis-hit it and the ball smashes the side netting by the near post.
Pogba with an early lobbed cross into the box by the right corner flag. But Martial can't reach it as Salah collects.
Peep! The Premier League game of the season is underway as Man Utd kick off.
No fans there to sing along but "You'll Never Walk Alone" echoes around an empty Anfield.
The teams have emerged from the tunnel and are making their way onto the pitch.
Man United's last win at Anfield: 17 Jan, 2016
Manchester United have won three of their last 12 visits to Anfield, since 2010, with the last coming on 17th January 2016, exactly five years ago to the day. Lucky number 17 perhaps?
Thiago Alcantara is ready to make his first Anfiled appearence. The summer signing from Bayern Munich has had his injury issues since his arriving but what an occasion to make your Anfield debut....
As things stand
In case you needed a reminder, here's how the table stands currently. A win for United today would put them six points clear of Liverpool. But that will be a tall order for Solskjaer's men.
Tottenham keep the pressure on the leaders
Spurs have just cruised to a 3-1 victory over Sheffield United, that puts them in fourth and level on points (33) with Liverpool, though the Reds have the game in hand. Both clubs are three points adrift of United top.
Solskjaer: Man Utd win over Liverpool would be a 'shock'
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insisted a Manchester United win at Liverpool on Sunday would be a "shock" despite his team going into the match ahead of the Reds at the Premier League summit.
"If you look at the last few seasons, it would be an upset, it would be a shock," he insisted.
"I think our position at the moment is a product of all the hard work we have done in the training ground, what the players are putting down every single day.
"We probably deserve to be where we are at the moment, but I don't think many would have thought of another word [other than upset] for us beating Liverpool at Anfield if you go six weeks back. But we are looking forward to it and hopefully we can cause an upset."
Solskjaer: Man Utd win over Liverpool would be a 'shock'
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insisted a Manchester United win at Liverpool on Sunday would be a "shock" despite his team going into the match ahead of the Reds at the Premier League summit.
"If you look at the last few seasons, it would be an upset, it would be a shock," he insisted.
"I think our position at the moment is a product of all the hard work we have done in the training ground, what the players are putting down every single day.
"We probably deserve to be where we are at the moment, but I don't think many would have thought of another word [other than upset] for us beating Liverpool at Anfield if you go six weeks back. But we are looking forward to it and hopefully we can cause an upset."
Klopp's praise for Bruno Fernandes
Jurgen Klopp spoke highly of Bruno Fernandes ahead of the game. The Portuguese picked up his fourth Player of the Month award last week, putting him on par with the likes of Henry, Ronaldo, Vardy and Scholes.
"He's an outstanding player. Before he joined United we played Sporting in the USA on tour," Klopp said.
"In that game already you could see... wow! You could really see he was a difference maker and that's what he shows now.
"He's settled and is a very influential player now for United. He's involved in a lot of things. I know people talk mostly about the goal involvements, which is very important stuff, but he's a link-up in lot of other situations as well.
"I don't know him well enough to really judge but he seems to be a leader as well. So he was a good signing, unfortunately, for United."
Salah vs Fernandes: Head-to-Head
Here is how the MVPs match up, pretty evenly as it turns out.
Preamble
by Jonathan Meaney
Liverpool prepare to host eternal rivals Manchester United in what is undoubtedly the biggest game of the Premier League season.
After enjoying two decades of superiority over Liverpool, United had to painfully watch on as their Merseyside neighbours reached a level far beyond their own in recent years.
While the Red Devils desperately struggled to match the Ferguson glory days under several successive managers since the great Scot’s departure, Liverpool, under Jurgen Klopp, grew to become the Premier League’s tour de force, culminating with their emphatic league title victory last year – one season on from their Champions League success.
Such title successes seemed far beyond the Manchester United of today. Up until a few weeks ago, nobody would have spoken of the current Old Trafford outfit in the same breath as Klopp’s well-oiled Red machine, nor would they have predicted that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men would be three points clear at the top of the table in mid-January and genuine contenders for the title.
But led by Bruno Fernandes, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, United are enjoying a revival that has carried them to the lofty heights of the Premier League top spot. If they can pull off an unexpected victory at Anfield on Sunday, they will move six points clear of Klopp’s men, who, though still undoubtedly the best team in the league, have fallen below the standards they themselves set when they cruised to the title last season with an 18-point margin over Manchester City.
Liverpool have dropped seven points in their last three games, while in-form United have secured three straight victories. But Anfield remains an impenetrable fortress where the Reds are looking to win three in a row against their great rivals for the first time since 2011. Liverpool-Manchester United is always a big game, but Sunday’s unmissable fixture is by far the biggest one in years.
Hello and Welcome
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the biggest game of the Premier League season as Liverpool host Manchester United at Anfield. The match gets underway in 45 minutes, in the meantime you can follow the build-up here. Team news to follow shortly.