English Premier League (PL) clubs Liverpool and Manchester United will face each other tomorrow, 17 December 2023, in Gameweek 17 of the ongoing PL season.
Liverpool is leading the PL standings this season with 37 points from 16 matches, while United is sixth, 10 points below Liverpool, with 27 points in as many games.
Manchester United have lost 50%, 12 out of 24, of their matches this season, while Liverpool have lost a solitary match against Tottenham Hotspur, a match full of controversies, in the PL.
Mohammad Salah, Liverpool forward, is second on the PL top-scorer charts (11 goals) this season, while United’s midfielder, Scott McTominay, is their highest scorer with 5 goals in the ongoing campaign.
Dutch center-back, Virgil Van Dijk, has had a resurgence in form, as he hasn’t been dribbled past this season, while United is facing a calamity in the defense as Casemiro, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, and Victor Lindelöf (doubtful) are injured.
United’s captain, Bruno Fernandes, is suspended for this match, as he received an unwanted amount of yellow cards this season which has resulted in a 1-match suspension. Their creative forces, Mason Mount, Marcus Rashford, Christian Eriksen, and Anthony Martial are in doubt for the matches as they recover from their respective injuries.
On Liverpool’s front, they would be without their first-choice left-back Andrew Robertson, World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister, pacey forward Diogo Jota, ACL-hit Joel Matip as well as midfielders Thiago and Stefan Bajcetic.
Jurgen Klopp demolished Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils last season when United came to Anfield and lost 7-0. It was a heavily one-sided match where forwards Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Mohammad Salah scored a brace (each), while Roberto Firmino scored a farewell goal before heading to Saudi Arabia.
A win for Liverpool will keep them top of the perch for another gameweek while a win for United will be unexpected news given their performance this season.