Liverpool 0-0 Manchester United: Premier League as it happened
United remain three points behind their arch-rivals after goalless draw at Anfield.
- Dull goalless draw at Anfield sees both sides leave with a point.
- David de Gea produces two superb saves to deny Emre Can and Philippe Coutinho.
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic missed United's best chance in the second-half.
Herrera drops deep to collect a pass and has his legs clipped by Henderson. It's a near identical situation to the one that saw Bailly booked moments ago, but the Liverpool skipper gets away with it. Much to the delight of the Anfield crowd, Young is then shown a yellow for letting his displeasure a little too known.
It's a poor delivery however with the free kick sent straight into De Gea's arms. He launches upfield immediately and Young brings it down brilliantly before shifting it wide to Rashford. The two exchange passes before Young whips a cross in that has Karius in a panic, but Ibrahimovic is judged to have pushed Lovren while challenging for it.
Fellaini does well to win the ball and prod it onto Pogba who tries to power his way through both Lovren and Matip. He almost manages it but never has the ball truly under control and has it nicked away from him on the edge of the box. United are pressing well in midfield so far, whereas Liverpool have been guilty of conceding a few silly free-kicks. Not what they want given their record from set pieces.
As kick off approaches, here's another look at how these two sides will line up.
Liverpool team to face Manchester United: Karius, Clyne, Matip, Lovren, Milner, Henderson, Can, Coutinho, Firmino, Mane, Sturridge
Subs: Mignolet, Moreno, Klavan, Lucas, Grujic, Lallana, Origi
Manchester United team to face Liverpool: De Gea, Valencia, Bailly, Smalling, Blind, Fellaini, Pogba, Rashford, Herrera, Young, Ibrahimovic
Subs: Romero, Rojo, Shaw, Carrick, Lingard, Mata, Rooney
Speaking to Sky Sports, Jose Mourinho has been explaining his decision to select Ashley Young, stressing the 31-year-old is "comfortable with the responsibility of the game."
"Every time he plays he does his job well. He didn't miss one training session since July, he is always fit. He works really well."
While Liverpool have been dazzling at times this season, problems remain at the back. Since Klopp's appointment, Liverpool have conceded 16 goals from corners and free kicks, the latest coming in their last Premier League outing at Swansea City. New personnel hasn't solved the issue. United meanwhile have been increasingly effective in such positions, with goals from Chris Smalling, Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba in the win over Leicester last month all coming direct from corner kicks.
Klopp has said this week his side recognise that and have been working away to address that shortcomings.
I would imagine that if United start putting their tall players in the box they will be fighting for the result and for that to happen it must mean that something we did must have worked pretty well.
"We know about United's physical strength and we cannot do anything to change it, all we can do is try to avoid situations where they can use it.
"But we have strengths of our own and first we must concentrate on what we do well.
So what's Mourinho's thinking in bringing Marouane Fellaini back into his side tonight?
A woeful performance in that Watford defeat from the Belgian prompted the United boss to hand Ander Herrera a chance in a more destructive midfield role. The Spaniard was excellent in the 4-1 win over Leicester City the following week and has relished his manager's challenge to adapt his game in a deeper role.
But Fellaini does have one thing the former Athletic Bilbao midfielder doesn't have. The Belgian's threat from set pieces has so often been his saving grace; it was after all his header that came off the cross bar allowing Wayne Rooney to score the winner at Anfield last season. And with Liverpool's well-documented problems defending from set pieces, it's a decision that makes sense.
Jurgen Klopp has also made two changes tonight to the side that beat Swansea City before the international break. Adam Lallana, who picked up a groin injury in that victory in south Wales misses out, as does Georginio Wijnaldum, who picked up a knock of his own while on international duty.
Emre Can comes in for his first start in the league this season, while Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino both start despite travelling back from Brazil late last week. Nathaniel Clyne and Dejan Lovren also start having recovered from minor knocks.
Jose Mourinho has made two changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Stoke City prior to the international break. Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard both drop out with Marouane Fellaini returning to partner Paul Pogba in midfield. Ashley Young meanwhile starts his first game in the league for the club since the victory at Anfield last season.
Luke Shaw meanwhile has not played a game for club or country since the 3-1 defeat to Watford in mid-September. With that in mind, Daley Blind retains his starting spot at left-back. Wayne Rooney remains on the bench with Chris Smalling continuing as captain.
Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho meet in the Premier League for the second time; the first time as the managers of England's two most successful clubs. It's the Liverpool boss who holds the advantage in their head-to-head record so far. Here's our recap of their previous scraps.
Unconfirmed rumours this evening suggest Henrikh Mkhitaryan will not be in the Manchester United squad tonight. The Armenia international started his first game for the club in another huge derby against Manchester City and was taken off after half-time. Having just returned form injury, will Mourinho decide to pull him out of the firing line?
Not only did he have Luke Shaw and Henrikh Mkhitaryan staying in Manchester during the international break to complete their recoveries, but Jose Mourinho was also able to welcome back every member of his squad without any fresh injury concerns.
I like my players to go to the international teams," Mourinho said. "I'm always very proud of my players to be selected. And especially these two that you refer to. One was a debutant, the other was a call-up to the Spanish team. It's obviously important for them and it's good for me and I think also the club feels proud of it.
Here is what Jurgen Klopp had to say on squad fitness last week.
In this moment we don't know exactly who is available. We all know about the issues obviously from Gini and Adam, but both not ruled out for Monday, I would say. But of course four sessions to go sounds long, but it is only four sessions. We have to see.
Team news: Manchester United
Jose Mourinho has just one member of his squad unavailable this evening – the perennially injured Phil Jones. United made a special request for the Armenia national team for Henrikh Mkhitaryan to remain in Manchester during the international break to complete his recovery from a thigh problem. It seems to have done the trick, with the former Borussia Dortmund star available for selection tonight.
Having not played since the 3-1 defeat to Watford for either club or country, Luke Shaw is also in line to return tonight.
Team news: Liverpool
Adam Lallana and Georginio Wijnaldum were Liverpool's biggest doubts when Jurgen Klopp addressed the media last Friday. The Netherlands international limped off with a hamstring injury while representing his country in a World Cup 2018 qualifier against France last Tuesday.
Lallana, meanwhile, was not selected for international duty with England after picking up a groin injury in Liverpool's victory over Swansea City. The Liverpool boss spoke positively of the two returning, however, refusing to rule either man out.
Nathaniel Clyne and Dejan Lovren were also casualties in that win over Swansea. The international break came at the right time for both of them, however, returning to training last week having seemingly overcome those respective knee and groin injuries.
Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho both returned from international duty without a scratch, but Klopp stopped short of confirming whether both would be available for tonight's match, instead choosing to wait until the eleventh hour before making a decision.
Liverpool vs Manchester United. It's kind of a big deal.
The famous old fixture has a new twist to it this evening. Jose Mourinho is no stranger to a rampant Anfield crowd baying for his blood, but tonight is the first time he will walk out as Manchester United manager. Jurgen Klopp got his first taste of the fixture last season, falling to Louis van Gaal's United last February.
His side are very much the team in form tonight, however, having won their last five games in all competition with a side operating with the cohesion and verve of a title challenger.
The two managers share a brief history, with Klopp holding the superior record having won three of their five meetings to date, with just one going to Mourinho. But another modern rivalry now has a platform to become one for the ages.
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