LIVERPOOL, England (BN24) — Liverpool and Manchester United renew one of English football’s fiercest rivalries on Sunday at Anfield, with both sides entering the Premier League encounter needing to arrest troubling trends that threaten to derail their seasons.
Liverpool, under manager Arne Slot, is looking to recover from a stuttering run of form that has seen the defending champions lose three consecutive matches in all competitions. Slot, who guided Liverpool to the title in his first season last year, admitted that “results don’t lie” following defeats to Crystal Palace and Chelsea in the league and Galatasaray in the Champions League. The poor run has seen the Reds fall a point behind Arsenal in the title race, despite a flawless start to the season in which they won their first seven matches.
Addressing reporters on Friday, Slot pointed to defensive fragility and a lack of attacking spark as the key concerns. Liverpool have conceded two or more goals in four of their seven Premier League matches and have struggled to find the game-changing moments that defined their title-winning campaign last season. Despite a summer outlay of nearly £450 million ($604 million) on transfers, including club-record deals for Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, neither player has scored in the league.
Slot also highlighted Mohamed Salah’s reduced impact. The Egyptian, who was instrumental in last season’s title run, has not found the same rhythm. “We haven’t created as many chances as last season,” Slot said, attributing the decline to tactical shifts by opponents and Liverpool’s failure to adjust effectively. Set-piece weakness has also been a concern, with Liverpool conceding four goals from such situations this term.
Manchester United arrive at Anfield with their own problems. Manager Ruben Amorim, approaching one year in charge, remains under pressure despite the backing of co-owner Jim Ratcliffe. Amorim has failed to win back-to-back Premier League games and has recorded just 10 wins in his first 34 matches. The Red Devils sit 10th in the table, five points behind Liverpool, and are still recovering from a dismal finish to the previous campaign, where they ended in the bottom half.
Ratcliffe recently told The Times that Amorim deserves the full term of his three-year contract, but the Portuguese manager played down the remarks. “It’s good to feel the support,” Amorim said Friday, “but we need to show people we are ready to win games. I don’t want to think we have time — we need results now.”
Manchester United’s recent results against top opposition have shown promise, including a 2-2 draw at Anfield last season that Amorim described as one of his side’s most impressive displays. But the manager acknowledged that his players perform better when expectations are lower, suggesting that the weight of expectation still hampers consistency. “When you play in big clubs, you need to win every game,” Amorim said. “We have difficulties sometimes to play with that responsibility.”
Sunday’s fixture marks the 100th meeting between the clubs at Anfield and the 218th overall. United hold the edge historically, with 83 wins to Liverpool’s 72. Their last victory at Anfield came in 2016, while Liverpool have won three of the last five league meetings. United’s last Premier League triumph over Liverpool came in 2022 at Old Trafford. However, they did beat their rivals in the 2024 FA Cup en route to lifting the trophy.
Both teams are managing injuries ahead of the clash. Liverpool will again be without goalkeeper Alisson Becker, sidelined by a hamstring issue. However, midfielder Ryan Gravenberch has been declared fit despite being substituted during international duty with the Netherlands. United will remain without defender Lisandro Martinez, who continues to recover from a knee injury, and full-back Noussair Mazraoui is a doubt.
The game carries significant weight for both clubs as they attempt to reverse faltering form and reassert themselves in the league. Slot’s Liverpool are seeking a return to the defensive solidity and attacking sharpness that underpinned last season’s success, while Amorim’s United aim to prove they can win under pressure, not just compete.
As the two most decorated clubs in English football, with 22 league titles apiece, Sunday’s match may not directly determine the title race or top-four picture. However, it offers a critical test of resilience for two managers still striving to prove their long-term visions.
