Manchester United v Liverpool betting preview: Premier League predictions & best bets for Old Trafford clash

Recommended bets

2pts Trent Alexander-Arnold to have 1+ shots on target at 12/5

1pt Scott McTominay to be shown a card at 7/2

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Manchester United v Liverpool

• 1630 BST kick-off on Sky Sports Premier League

It's difficult to think of a time where Liverpool were so strongly fancied for a clash with rivals Manchester United, particularly one being played at Old Trafford.

At the time of writing, 4/6 is the best price you'll find on an away win here and in truth it should probably be around the 2/7 mark, such is the difference in quality between the two sides teams.

Liverpool are in pole position for the Premier League title and odds-on across the board to finally end their long wait for further top-level domestic success.

They hold a commanding eight-point lead over Manchester City, who have hit a rough patch in their bid for a third successive title success, and Jurgen Klopp's side are performing at a level which suggests they'll rightly carry complete confidence down the M62.

Manchester United's situation has hit a point where executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has had to come out and publicly back manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

"The middle section of last season, after Ole's arrival, feels most relevant to what we want to achieve and where we want to be," he said, having publicly pledged his faith in Solskjaer three weeks ago.

"We saw a team playing fast, fluid football, with a clear representation of the style and philosophy the manager wants. Ole has also instilled the discipline back into an environment where we may have lacked it in recent years.

"He is building a squad that respects the club's history, in which players work hard and respect their team-mates. No-one is bigger than the club."

Liverpool will enjoy their afternoon. United's injury problems have massively affected an already weak squad, and the visitors will see plenty of opportunities on goal, so take the 12/5 on Trent Alexander-Arnold to have one or more shots on target.

The full-back has registered a shot in five of Liverpool's eight games so far this season. He had three in their 3-1 home victory over Arsenal, while also trying his luck in their away game at Chelsea, scoring with a fabulous free-kick striking the net.

Sky Bet have enhanced Alexander-Arnold's price of a goal from outside the penalty area to 16/1 but we'll rely on him hitting the target, regardless of where from or for what result.

Martin Atkinson's appointment also catches the eye in a fixture which historically produces cards - there have been a minimum of three in every Old Trafford fixture between the two in the Premier League since 2013.

The 7/2 quoted about Scott McTominay to be booked is immediately eye-catching. The United midfielder picked up his first card of the campaign last time out as they were beaten by Newcastle but he's lucky not to have had more.

He has committed significantly more fouls than any of his teammates with 15 in total, a figure which puts him sixth among all Premier League players so far this season.

In a game which could be end-to-end at times, given the pace in attack for both sides, McTominay is likely to add to that statistic on Sunday and it's quite possible he falls foul of the referee, who has given 25 yellows in seven matches so far this season.

United should pick up the brunt of the cards here and McTominay looks the pick of the prices to have his name taken.

Prediction: Man United 1-3 Liverpool (Sky Bet odds: 12/1)

Best bet: Trent Alexander-Arnold to have 1+ shots on target at 12/5

Best bet: Scott McTominay to be shown a card at 7/2

Last time out

• Newcastle 1-0 Man United

• Liverpool 2-1 Leicester

Opta stats

• Man Utd are unbeaten in their last five home league meetings with Liverpool (W3 D2), their longest run without defeat against them at Old Trafford since a run of 10 between February 1991 and March 2000.
• Only Man City (7) and Chelsea (6) have won more Premier League away games against Manchester United than Liverpool (5).
• Four of the last six Premier League meetings between Man Utd and Liverpool have ended level (one win each) – just four of the previous 36 between the sides had been drawn.
• This is the first time Liverpool are facing Man Utd in a Premier League match while being top of the table since October 1996 – with Man Utd winning 1-0 at Old Trafford thanks to a David Beckham strike.
• In Premier League history, Man Utd have taken more penalties against Liverpool than they have vs any other side (10), while it’s also the most Liverpool have faced against a single opponent. Man Utd have taken 145 penalties overall in the division to 69 faced, the biggest such difference in the competition (76).
• Liverpool are one win away from equalling the all-time English top-flight record of 18 consecutive victories, set by Manchester City between August and December 2017.
• Since beating Chelsea 4-0 on the opening weekend, Manchester United have failed to score more than once in any of their last 10 games in all competitions. It’s their longest run of failing to score more than once since a run of 13 between May - September 2007.
• Manchester United have already lost one home league game this season – the last time they lost as many as two of their opening five home games from the start of a campaign was in 1990-91.
• In his Liverpool career, Jürgen Klopp has managed more away games against Manchester United without victory than he has any other side in all competitions (D3 L1).
• Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has failed to score or assist a single goal in his four Premier League appearances against Man Utd – they’re the only side he’s faced more than once while failing to register a single goal involvement.
• Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold has created eight goalscoring opportunities for Roberto Firmino in the Premier League so far this season – no player has provided more for a specific teammate coming into this matchday.
• 33% of Marcus Rashford’s Premier League goals have come against ‘big six’ opponents (10/30). The Man Utd forward averages a goal every 208 minutes against such opposition, compared to one every 266 minutes against other sides.

QUIZ: Manchester United v Liverpool

Odds correct as of 1000 BST on 18/10/19

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