Liverpool – Manchester Utd

The visitors from Manchester will take home at least one tournament point

Manchester United and Liverpool have had a poor start to the current season. On the other hand, while the Mancunians have quickly levelled things up and allowed only brief lapses of form, Klopp's side have recently frustrated their fans with a series of defeats in the Premier League, as well as historic home defeats in the Champions League. Not only will this be the focal point of the 26th game, it will be a defining moment for both clubs. For Liverpool, it will be about realising their ambitions of qualifying for the Champions League zone, and for Manchester United, it will be about their emerging championship aspirations. The bookmakers ahead of Sunday's game have decided the Merseyside club as favourites, offering odds of 2.39 to win. Liverpool sit sixth in the table ahead of this fixture, six points behind last-placed Tottenham in the Champions League zone with one game remaining. The Reds' 10 points from a possible 12 in the last four rounds have inspired the club's players and, to a certain extent, have now allowed them to focus on their goals in the Premier League. Moreover, the team's advancement in the Champions League is now unlikely, and the national cup does not motivate them much. At the same time, even at home, Liverpool continue to struggle to break down their opponents' defences. The Reds scored three or more goals against their opponents as recently as last year. Manchester United are rightly regarded as one of the most cohesive and successful clubs in Europe in 2023. Since then, the Red Devils have finished in the top three of the Premier League, progressed to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, beaten Barcelona in the Europa League 1/16 finals and, as the icing on the cake, won the English League Cup last Sunday. The football miracle with the Mancunian club came just after Ronaldo's departure. Manchester United look like a cohesive, diligent and determined team with far fewer systemic problems than their upcoming opponents. Manchester United beat Liverpool in the first leg and are unlikely to lose to them on Sunday.