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Thursday 20:15: Manchester United v Liverpool
Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Premier League
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The Draw
It is unsurprising that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer chose to experiment with his starting line-up against Leicester on Tuesday given United had already secured Champions League football next season and the chances of them catching Manchester City in the title race were non-existent. The fact that defeat at Old Trafford dealt a blow to Liverpool’s Champions League hopes was simply an added bonus.
With United effectively requiring one win to wrap up second place, Solskjaer is likely to go with his big hitters against their bitter rivals on Thursday night. United could deal a crushing blow to Liverpool’s top-four hopes if they emerge with a win, but The Reds have shown some signs of resurgence after a horrendous start to the year.
Liverpool have taken 14 points from their last six league games and boast the second-best form in the Premier League over the last six games. Jurgen Klopp’s side have also won five of their last seven away games and remained hard to beat on the road even when they reached the absolute nadir of their season.
Their good recent form should ensure that they avoid defeat at Old Trafford, but United proved in January that they are more than capable of getting a result against Liverpool and it is difficult to see Jurgen Klopp’s men coming away with all three points.
Both Teams to Score
Manchester United have been involved in five scoreless draws this season against the traditional big six, but most of those forgettable results came in the first half of the season when they were attempting to rebuild following an atrocious start to the season. Scoreless draws with Liverpool and Chelsea also arose from playing with too much fear during their short-lived title challenge.
They should play without fear on Thursday night and it’s difficult to see Liverpool’s error-prone defence coping with United’s potent attack. The hosts’ boast the second-best goalscoring record in the league and are capable of scoring from all angles.
At the other end, United look far more vulnerable in the absence of Harry Maguire. Solskjaer is likely to go with a centre-half pairing of Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly, both of whom look far better when playing alongside the United captain.
Both Bailly and Lindelof are susceptible to defensive errors and Liverpool should capitalise.
Edinson Cavani to Score Anytime
Cavani’s Manchester United career seemed to be coming to an end after a series of lacklustre displays before the international break, but the Uruguayan has burst into life over the last six weeks. He’s scored six goals in his last four starts for United and is almost certain to be in the XI against Liverpool considering Mason Greenwood has started two games since Sunday.
There is still an excellent chance that Cavani finds the back of the net even if Solskjaer elects to go with Greenwood from the start. The ex-PSG man has scored five goals as a substitute in the league this season – the joint-most of any United player in the Premier League era. He’s got eight goals in his last eight appearances and is as much a threat off the bench as he is from the start.
Mohamed Salah to Have Three or More Shots
Salah has not been shy of shooting in the Premier League this season. The Egyptian forward has had 108 efforts on goal from 33 league appearance this season at a rate of more than three shots per game. He’s currently one goal off Harry Kane in the race for the Premier League golden boot and will be desperate to add to his 20-goal tally in the league this season at Old Trafford.
The Egyptian has scored three in his last three games against United and will hope to benefit from the absence of Maguire at the back. Salah is likely to pepper Dean Henderson’s goal as he attempts to draw level with Kane and should get at least three shots off against a vulnerable United defence.
Man United v Liverpool tips
The Draw
Both Teams to Score
Edinson Cavani to Score Anytime
Mohamed Salah to Have Three or More Shots
A Paddy Power Bet Builder of the above 4 legs combined clocks in at 18/1
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* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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