Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United: Uefa Europa League last 16 - as it happened

Full-time: Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United

A huge win for Liverpool, who were by far the better team at Anfield. The hosts dominated from start to finish and thoroughly deserved to win.

Two minutes of added time. We're into that now.

United have delivered some poor performances under Van Gaal, but there can't have been too many worse than this.

It's been dreadful stuff, to be frank. A performance devoid of any energy or imagination.

On reflection, there may have been an offside moments before Firmino made it 2-0.

United, meanwhile, come as close as they have all evening through Fellaini. The burly Belgian rises at the back post, but heads wide.

The Red Devils' best moments this evening have come through long balls directed at Fellaini.

Given the amount of money Louis van Gaal has been handed at Old Trafford, that really shouldn't be the case.

Less than ten minutes left at Anfield, now. Liverpool could kill this tie with one more goal, you fancy.

The Reds are flying forward looking for a third. They would deserve it, too.

Liverpool have been as good as United have been poor.

How can United respond to this bleak-looking scenario? Well, Louis van Gaal has decided to introduce the World Cup-winning German star Bastian Schweinsteiger.

The 31-year-old midfielder has been out injured for two months - it's not as though he's being eased back into the action.

Ander Herrera has also been introduced.

GOAL: Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United (Firmino)

Anfield is alive, as Liverpool take a two-nil lead in the tie!

The in-form Brazilian Roberto Firmino smashes the ball home from close range after some dreadful defending from United, who should've cleared the ball.

Firmino has now scored in three consecutive games for Liverpool for the first time.

Another golden chance for the Merseysiders! And, again, it goes begging.

Lallana lays the ball back to Henderson on the edge of the box, but the Liverpool skipper blazes over the bar. How many more chances are they going to squander?

Some 25 minutes left at Anfield.

In a strange way, both managers may be fairly satisfied with this scoreline. But another goal might just prove crucial.

Liverpool are making a change...

Daniel Sturridge's work for the night is done. He got his goal and created plenty of chaos in the first half, too.

The striker didn't look happy to come off. But he's been replaced by Joe Allen.

United are right back in this game. Their tactical switch has made a big difference, with the Red Devils having around 60 percent of the ball in the second period.

Can they find an all-important away goal, though?

We've played an hour at Anfield, and the stadium is still rocking.

Both sets of fans are making an incredible amount of noise. These next 30 minutes could be crucial in the outcome of the tie.

United have improved slightly in the opening ten minutes of the half. They've at least strung some passes together.

Mind you, they couldn't have been any worse than they were before half-time.

First shot on goal for United!

Morgan Schneiderlin strikes it cleanly from distance but straight at the keeper.

The away side, by the way, appear to have switched to a 3-5-2 formation.

Carrick has dropped into the centre of the park for United, with Van Gaal presumably hoping he'll offer some much-needed protection to their brittle-looking defence.

Meanwhile, Coutinho has picked up a yellow card for diving.

Given the pre-match hype surrounding the game, United fans would have been expecting much more from their men.

It's been uninspiring stuff so far and they appear to be slipping towards another away defeat.

Anyway, in response to the opening 45 minutes, Louis van Gaal has decided to sub Marcus Rashford - who barely had a kick - for the MUCH more experienced Michael Carrick.

We're back underway at Anfield.

Liverpool's dominance is underline by the stats...

Europa League half-time update:

Ath Bilbao 1 Valencia 0

Sparta Prague 1 Lazio 1

Villarreal 1 Bayer Levkn 0

And, of course...

Half-time: Liverpool 1-0 Manchester United

The hosts lead by one and it could have been even more. It's been 45 minutes of one-way traffic at Anfield, with Jurgen Klopp's men creating chance after chance.

United, frankly, have been awful, failing to string any decent moves together and offering zero threat going forwards.

It will be a big half-time teamtalk for Louis van Gaal.

Marcus Rashford's first meaningful contribution is a foul and a yellow card. The youngster has barely had a kick in a woeful first-half for United.

De Gea to the rescue for United. Again.

The ball comes over from the right side, Lallana gets his foot to it, but the Spaniard manages to get it to safety. United survive but only just.

Around five minutes to go until half-time now - and it's been all Liverpool.

In truth, Jurgen Klopp's men ought to be further in front. David de Gea has been United's best player so far, which says it all.

United have a freekick in the Liverpool half. One of the few times they've had anything approaching a chance on goal.

Memphis, roughly 40 yards from goal, takes a shot and it goes horribly wide. That sums up what we've seen so far from Memphis and United more generally.

Half an hour gone at Anfield, and Liverpool have had more than 70 percent of the ball.

United don't appear to know what they are trying to achieve with the way they're playing.

And again, de Gea comes to the rescue for the Mancunians after a slip from Smalling. Sturridge could've grabbed his second of the game, but the Spaniard blocks.

Liverpool are all over United at the moment.

The away side look absolutely clueless - there's just no spark to their play. Given the amount United have spent in recent years, it's pretty bleak stuff.

It's almost 2-0!

Strurridge crosses the ball from right to left and Coutinho appears destined to score - only for de Gea to drag it from the goal.

United are all over the place at the moment, they've barely launched an attack of note.

GOAL: Liverpool 1-0 Manchester United (Sturridge)

The striker places the ball into the corner, just beyond the reach of David de Gea.

United complained that the original foul took place outside the box, but to no avail.

Memphis found himself on the wrong side of Clyne, though. He allowed his man to get the run on him.

Penalty awarded to Liverpool!

Clyne goes down under the challenge of Memphis - and ref awards a penalty to the hosts!

Both sides are struggling to get their forwards into the game.

The likes of Martial and Sturridge can create havoc, but they've not been given the chance to show it yet.

The game is being played in the middle of the park at the moment, with the teams cancelling each other out.

It's sure to open up in the coming minutes, though, as things settle down a little.

Anfield is rocking tonight, even though the hosts haven't given their supporters much to shout about as yet.

Liverpool are looking to make quick, incisive breaks at the moment, while United are apparently happy just to keep hold of the ball.

We've played ten minutes so far...

Playing out on the right this evening, Marcus Rashford will be asked to do his fair share of defending.

It'll be interesting to see how he performs in that role. Rashford, 18, would prefer to spend most of his night in the opposition half.

First card of the game goes to Jordan Henderson, who is guilty of a late tackle. The England international will need to watch his step now.

Besides that one moment, it has been a fairly sedate start to the game.

And a small chance for United from the kick-off.

Memphis goes down the wing and whips in a cross, but Rashford can't direct his effort on goal. Would have been a stunning start to the game, that.

The crowd are in good voice and everyone is looking forward to this one.

It's not often two English teams meet in European competition. But tonight, it's England's two most successful sides: Liverpool and United.

The ref blows his whistle to get the game going...

Fans are flooding the stands at Anfield. There's already a cracking atmosphere inside the ground as kick-off draws closer.

Can someone make themselves a hero over the next couple of hours? We're about to find out.

Jurgen Klopp stands on the brink of history ahead of the Europa League clash against Manchester United, but it is an unwanted record the German coach is battling to avoid.

Never during the two sides' fierce 122-year rivalry have Liverpool lost five successive matches against United. The German is hoping to turn things around in what he describes as the "mother of all matches".

"I don't believe in enemies in football to be honest," said Klopp when asked about the rivalry with United. "I believe in real, real, real, real opponents. I like this, it is no problem. I have absolutely no problem with Louis van Gaal, the last thing I want is that he wins in a game like this. That is pretty easy.

"That is what we all love in football. You can play against your best friends but if they wear the wrong shirt ... 95 minutes you have to forget everything, all the good, common experiences in your life. So that is pretty easy for me.

"Games like this are the mother of all football games. That is what you really want when you are young when you can play. You don't have to think about concentration, you are concentrating. It is absolutely easy then. It is a big challenge but the best thing that you can do in football."

So, as kick-off draws nearer by the second, here are some more of Adam Lallana's pre-match thoughts...

"You need to play the game and not get wrapped up in the occasion," he said.

"We want 11 men on the pitch at all times, even though when we were down to 10 men at the weekend we proved we could cope with that. But there's that fine line and the lads are professional enough and know the limits and the barriers."

Meanwhile...

Liverpool have emerged as the first Premier League club to introduce a new technology called myplayXplay, which would allow club doctors to review and analyse an injury on an iPad moments after it occurs on the pitch.

Club doctors will now tend to a player on the pitch with a tablet in hand over and above the regular medical equipment at their disposal.

Reds doctor Andy Massey is a major believer in the technology and brands this as a "great collaboration" that "enables us to view replays of injuries pitchside. This is about player welfare and fitness and we must never dismiss technology when efforting to protect our players," he said, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.

In case you missed it earlier, here's a reminder of the team news from Anfield. Kick-off is around 30 minutes away.

Liverpool: Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno, Can, Henderson, Lallana, Coutinho, Firmino, Sturridge

Subs: Ward, Toure, Benteke, Allen, Origi, Smith, Ojo

Manchester United: De Gea, Varela, Smalling, Blind, Rojo, Schneiderlin, Fellaini, Memphis, Mata, Martial, Rashford

Subs: Romero, Darmian, Riley, Carrick, Schweinsteiger, Weir, Herrera

Adam Lallana revealed before the game that Jurgen Klopp has made it clear to Liverpool's players that he wants a team that "presses and counter presses".

The German coach replaced Brendan Rodgers last October and since his arrival, the Merseyside club have seen a change in the way they play.

"I'm a player that loves to press, likes to be on the front foot and have the licence to not worry about what is behind me. The manager has made it clear that he wants a team that presses and counter presses," Lallana said, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.

"It is not just as simple as running ridiculously to the ball, there are elements of tactics behind it. We have done sessions on the training pitch to help us to grasp it."

From the team news, it can be fairly assumed that Van Gaal is intent on keeping things tight this evening, as he has named Marouane Fellaini and Morgan Schneiderlin in central midfield.

The Belgian's inclusion is sure to frustrate some United fans, though his height could be a threat at freekicks and corners. The right decision from the manager? Only time will tell.

On the flipside, Daniel Sturridge has scored four times and assisted another goal in his last six games versus Manchester United in all competitions.

The injury-prone striker will be looking to continue that run this evening.

Tonight offers United the chance to make a little bit of history. For all of the criticism he has been given this season, Louis van Gaal has a very decent record against Liverpool.

Once again, everyone will be keen to see how Marcus Rashford performs this evening.

The youngster has enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top of the game in the last few weeks. But a European tie at Anfield is surely his biggest test yet.

Manchester United defender Daley Blind thinks his side must show they want Europa League success more than Liverpool.

"It's a busy schedule coming up again and Liverpool will be a great game to play in, especially as it's now in the Europa League," said Blind, according to The Mirror.

"You're either in or out, through to the next round or not, so it's very important for us. They will say it's important for them too, so we have to show we want it more."

In the build-up, Jurgen Klopp has been underlining the importance of tonight's game. The German has been stressing that the Europa League is more than a route back into the Champions League for the Reds.

"We will try to keep focused on the games rather than working out the best way into the Champions League. Both routes are quite difficult," he admitted.

"We cannot get close enough in the Premier League if the teams above us keep winning, and in the Europa League there are further rounds to win even if we get past Manchester United.

"Now you can see the finish line in this tournament there are only good teams left, it's something like a small version of the Champions League in its own right."

Less than an hour to go until kick-off, now. Anfield is sure to be jumping in a little while as the Merseysiders host United under the floodlights.

The players will begin their last-minute preparations soon, too.

Jurgen Klopp believes there is not much to choose between the quality of the two teams this evening.

"I would say both clubs are in a good moment," Klopp said, as quoted by the Guardian. "OK, they lost their last game after winning four in a row but there had been a lot of pressure on Louis van Gaal and United and they handled it really well.

"I don't think United winning the last four matches between the clubs means anything, this is over two legs and I don't believe they have that much more quality than us. It's pretty close.

"I said when the draw was made that I was happy with it, because it is an exciting tie not because I think it is going to be easy."

Team form

Liverpool

• Last five: W W D W D
• Last result: Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool

Manchester United

• Last five: L W W W W
• Last result: West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Manchester United

What the manager says

Jurgen Klopp: "I have absolutely no problem with Louis van Gaal but the last thing I want is for him to win. You can have good friends in football but not for the 95 minutes when you are wearing the wrong shirt. You can forget all the common experiences in your life then. A game like this is the mother of all football games, a derby, two old rivals in a knockout competition."

Louis van Gaal: "You have to win – there is no difference [with it being a Cup competition]. United and Liverpool is always a big game. It's historical and even bigger now because both teams are fighting for a Champions League place."

Liverpool have named a formidable-looking front three, which features Firmino, Sturridge and Coutinho.

This could be a really eye-catching affair, given the attacking talent of both teams.

So, that means United have made three changes, as Varela, Schneiderlin and Fellaini come in for Darmian, Carrick and Herrera.

Meanwhile...

Breaking team news:

Liverpool: Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno, Can, Henderson, Lallana, Coutinho, Firmino, Sturridge

Subs: Ward, Toure, Benteke, Allen, Origi, Smith, Ojo

Manchester United: De Gea, Varela, Smalling, Blind, Rojo, Schneiderlin, Fellaini, Memphis, Mata, Martial, Rashford

Subs: Romero, Darmian, Riley, Carrick, Schweinsteiger, Weir, Herrera

Good evening and welcome to our coverage of what is a huge game from Anfield, where Liverpool take on their eternal rivals Manchester United.

Both sides view this as a pivotal moment in their season, and the crowd are sure to be fired up.

Stay tuned and we'll bring you the all-important team news shortly.