Paul Higham previews Sunday's big game at Anfield where Man Utd hope to end Liverpool's amazing unbeaten run.
1pt Liverpool to win to nil at 6/4
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This is where it gets really interesting for Liverpool and what looks like a relentless march towards a first Premier League title - but wouldn't Man Utd just love to throw a spanner in the works, even if it only delays the inevitable.
There's a widening chasm between these two fierce old rivals with things heading towards a complete role reversal from the Sir Alex Ferguson days when United regularly conquered England and Europe and Liverpool’s best hope was to merely stop them from winning.
Now it’s Liverpool, the European and world champions, who sit on a massive 14-point lead with one hand seemingly on the title, who can really stick the boot into the Red Devils by opening up a 30-point gap between the two with a victory at Anfield.
The gap has never been bigger, and neither has United’s price for victory on Merseyside with them a whopping 7/1 to inflict a first league defeat of the season on Jurgen Klopp’s troops.
They’re already the first, and so far only, team to take league points off them this season, which in itself is a ridiculous statement halfway through January, and if there is a recipe for success against the Reds then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer certainly has some of the ingredients.
He’s got two draws now against Liverpool and can claim to have a blueprint for again frustrating the league leaders – but he may have shot himself in the foot by playing a labouring Marcus Rashford against Wolves.
Rashford is so key to all that United hope to achieve in this game that he could be the difference between heading back along the M62 with points or not. And, in fact, it’s worth waiting until the team-sheets drop on Sunday before making some of the decisions on this game.
Rashford’s got more opening goals this season than anyone else in the league, and only Mohamed Salah has scored more winners this season. His recent scoring record is top class but without him United may struggle to register.
Liverpool haven’t conceded in six league games, and since Joe Gomez renewed his partnership with Virgil van Dijk in December they’ve looked increasingly sturdy at the back so without Rashford and with possession set to be limited another clean sheet could well be on the cards.
A lot depends on just how United will play, you know what you get from Liverpool these days and in all likelihood they’ll dominate possession and look to prod and probe and get Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson in down the flanks.
A fascinating aspect of the game will therefore come out wide against Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Brandon Williams – two of United’s better performers. Gary Neville's a big fan of left-back Williams and his feisty attitude, but with four bookings in five starts it's clear that the youngster may struggle to keep a lid on his emotions in such a hostile environment.
Going up against Alexander-Arnold and Salah is a tough afternoon in anyone's book so when you can get a stand-out price of 5/2 for him to get a card, that's one avenue to explore along with the results-based markets.
In these, Rashford may make a difference but he looked like he wouldn't be 100 per cent in any case and without him don't expect United to be troubling Alisson too much.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Man United (Sky Bet odds: 6/1)
Best bet: Liverpool to win to nil at 6/4
Key stats
Odds correct as of 1400 GMT on 17/01/20
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Odds correct as of 1700 GMT on 17/01/20
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