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Manchester United are under a lot of pressure to produce a positive result as they host Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The Manchester United - Liverpool rivalry is one of the most heated and long-standing ones in the Premier League at present. The Red Devils have only been able to take a point from their last three outings in the league and have dropped to sixth in the table.
Their bitter rivals Liverpool have looked to be getting better with each passing week and are just one point off the top heading into Sunday. Their confidence will be soaring after registering a 3-2 win against Atletico Madrid in the Wanda Metropolitano in midweek.
Manchester United fashioned a signature comeback win in midweek in their Champions League group stage game against Atalanta.
Win over Atalanta a huge boost for Manchester United ahead of Liverpool game
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men were down 2-0 at half-time but scored three goals in the second 45 to secure a much-needed win. Old Trafford was buzzing and was as raucous as ever as they got behind their side and buoyed them on to a scintillating victory.
Needless to say, the win has helped usher in a positive feeling at the Theatre of Dreams. Liverpool are a much stronger side than Atalanta but Manchester United perform best when they are backed against a wall.
Without further ado, let's take a look at how Manchester United could line up against Liverpool.
Goalkeeper - David de Gea
David de Gea is back to his best this season. Manchester United's lack of cleansheets is not a fair reflection of the form their goalkeeper has been showcasing. He made a couple of brilliant saves in the game against Leicester City despite losing the game 4-2.
De Gea also came up clutch in the game against Atalanta, stopping a Duvan Zapata shot when United were trailing 1-2. He will undoubtedly keep his place in the starting XI against Liverpool.
Right-back - Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Aaron Wan-Bissaka ran himself to the ground in the game against Atalanta. He was an industrious presence on the right wing. Even though his final product in attack could use some improvement, Wan-Bissaka's pace and tackling ability will come in handy against Liverpool.
Centre-back - Victor Lindelof
Victor Lindelof will keep his place in the side as Raphael Varane continues to be sidelined with a groin injury. Solskjaer will be hoping that the Swede turns in a better performance than he did in midweek against Atalanta.
Centre-back - Harry Maguire
Manchester United's captain scored the all-important equalizer against Atalanta. However, his defending has been suspect in recent weeks and will need to be on high-alerts against Liverpool, who have the quality to punish them for every mistake.
Left-back - Luke Shaw
Luke Shaw has not hit the heights of his 2020-21 campaign but seems to be getting there. He was able to combine well with Marcus Rashford on the left wing against Atalanta. Shaw provided the cross for Cristiano Ronaldo's winner in the 81st minute of the game.
Defensive midfielder - Scott McTominay
Scott McTominay did not cover himself in glory with his performance in midfield against Atalanta. His positioning has been rather poor this season and kept getting overrun in midfield against the Serie A side.
The Scot helped Manchester United venture forward a few times in midweek thanks to his ability to embark on jinking runs on occasion. He also has a knack for arriving late into the box and came close to scoring a goal for Manchester United but his shot hit the post.
But he cannot afford to be lackadaisical against Liverpool's efficient midfielders. They are very good at recycling possession and McTominay will need to be at his best at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Defensive midfielder - Nemanja Matic
With Fred a doubt for the game against Liverpool, Nemanja Matic is likely to partner Scott McTominay in midfield. The problem with the Serb is that you never know what you're going to get. He can be a really tidy customer on his day but he is not a very mobile presence in midfield.
He might do decently alongside McTominay, who has got the legs to keep running for the length of the game. But pairing Matic with Pogba in defensive midfield is a recipe for disaster, as was proved in the game against Leicester City.
Attacking midfielder - Paul Pogba
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed in his pre-match press conference that Bruno Fernandes suffered a knock in the game against Atalanta. It could be a huge blow for Manchester United as the Portuguese playmaker was sensational against Atalanta and created as many as nine chances.
He could be involved but is likely to come off the bench. If that's the case then Paul Pogba is likely to start as an attacking midfielder. The Frenchman has proved time and again that he is at his best when he is not shackled by defensive responsibilities.
The 28-year-old can be a difference maker on his day and will want to prove himself after being benched for the game against Atalanta.
Left-winger - Jadon Sancho
Marcus Rashford is yet another player who Manchester United might have to start without. He was forced off in the game against Atalanta after suffering a knock. Rashford has scored two goals in two games since his return and his movement, in particular, has been excellent.
In his absence, Sancho is likely to be given the opportunity to start. The youngster is yet to affect a game on his own. He has zero goal contributions so far but has shown flashes of his ability. Sancho will want to grab this opportunity by the scruff of its neck if Rashford is not cleared to start on Sunday.
There is no better way to endear yourself to the Manchester United fans than by turning in a great performance against bitter rivals Liverpool.
Right-winger - Mason Greenwood
Young Mason Greenwood scored a screamer last weekend against Leicester City. The 20-year-old has turned in quite a few impressive performances for Manchester United this season but he was off-colour against Atalanta.
He is presently United's first-choice at right wing. His decision-making in the final third has been poor on occasion, with the player opting to go for goal himself when the better choice would have been to lay it off to a teammate. Greenwood needs to work on that as he has reliable finishers around him.
Striker - Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo relishes big occasions like these. He scored the winner at the end of an emphatic comeback in midweek against Atalanta. But Ronaldo's performance in midweek had so much more about it than just that winning goal.
He had come under fire for not pressing and not helping out in defence. The Portuguese international seemed to be on a mission to silence his critics against Atalanta. His work-rate on the night was commendable and Solskjaer will ask for more of the same from the club legend.
The 36-year-old has scored six goals in eight appearances for Manchester United so far this season. But it was in midweek that he started getting much more involved in the build-up. He showed some nice touches and his movement and positioning were both excellent on the night.
