Key Points
- Contrasting fortunes for England’s most successful teams
- Expect a relentless and ruthless Reds’ performance
- Biggest bet of the weekend
Table toppers Liverpool host arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday with Arne Slot’s side 6 points clear of Arsenal at the Premier League summit.
The Reds of Merseyside have been firing all season and are on an incredible run of form, winning 11 of the last 14 PL games in which they are unbeaten ahead of the crunch clash at Anfield.
For Ruben Amorim’s United the campaign couldn’t be any more contrasting. The Red Devils are stuck down in the bottom half of the table in 14th after losing 5 of the last 6 matches and failing to score in each of the last 3 fixtures they have lost.
United spent the Christmas period in the bottom half of the table for the first time in Premier League history and their points tally of 22 points is the lowest of any United team since 1989.
If the magnitude of the job on Amorim’s hands wasn’t obvious before he walked into Old Trafford, then it’s become crystal clear now at just how far off the pace The Red Devils have slipped.
Rampant Reds to turn up the heat
It looks almost impossible for Manchester United to leave Anfield with anything other than a defeat with free-scoring Liverpool playing the football of their lives. Slot’s side have lost only once all season and have netted 14 goals in their last 3 games alone.
By contrast, it has taken United 13 matches to score the same number of goals as their rivals and they have managed just 1 clean sheet in 11 in all competitions. Moreover, United have kept just 1 clean sheet in their previous 6 matches on the road.
Against the white-hot form and confidence Liverpool are currently playing with, and the fact they have only failed to score once all season in all competitions, it really is a daunting task for United.
Recent history favours Liverpool
The history of this fixture is well known and in recent seasons it’s been the red side of Merseyside rather than Manchester who have been celebrating.
United have managed just 1 PL win in 13 against Liverpool going back to 2018 and haven’t won at Anfield since a 1-0 victory in January of 2016, so the signs look truly ominous for Amorim’s men.
In the reverse fixture at Old Trafford earlier in the season, Liverpool ran out comfortable 3-0 winners and it wouldn’t surprise me if a similar scoreline is in the offing for Sunday’s showdown.
Has Amorim inherited a sinking ship?
I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say the Portuguese head coach has arrived at United at a time when the club is arguably at one of (if not the lowest) ebbs it could be. Amorim has already alluded to the fact The Red Devils might have to prepare for a relegation scrap following the 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle last time out, as the task he has taken on becomes apparent.
By contrast, the Liverpool flag couldn’t be flying higher with Slot taking on a side from former boss Jurgen Klopp who were together and hungry, not a disjointed and bedraggled team of individuals which the United boss has come into.
A gulf in class
The gulf between these two clubs at present has arguably never been more apparent, particularly in the Premier League era. With United trailing Liverpool by a whopping 23 points, the chasm has never been wider.
Liverpool are top scorers, have the joint best defence along with Arsenal, and have only dropped 9 points from the 54 on offer this term.
In stark contrast, United have failed to win 13 of their 19 matches, are the 5th lowest scorers, and have dropped an astounding 35 points already.
Liverpool win unsurprisingly short at 3/10
Taking all this into account, any bets I am considering are, by no surprise, all pertaining to Liverpool coming out on top or at least dominating most of the major metrics.
The bet of a Liverpool win, best priced at 3/10 with
QuinnBet, is an obvious selection for those bet-building or placing an acca (how old-fashioned that seems now). However, for the purposes of this article, I won’t be putting up such a short price.
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Just enough doubt to avoid BTTS markets
Alternatives to the match result could be to combine the both teams to score market, but that looks trappy to me. Liverpool and No is best priced at 7/5 with
Star Sports.
Given United’s lack of goals, particularly in recent weeks where they have failed to score in 4 of the last 6 and in almost half of their matches on the road, there could be value in the price.
Especially with Liverpool boasting the joint-best home defence and the fact they have kept the joint-most number of clean sheets with 8 and visiting teams haven’t scored in 4 of the 9 matches at Anfield.
However, despite these figures, the clean sheet gained during the 5-0 demolition of West Ham last time out was The Reds’ first in 5 in the PL. This combined with Konate missing and some questionable Robertson form is enough to avoid me tipping it up.
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Top tip: Liverpool over 18.5 total shots at 26/25 with Unibet
Instead, it’s the total shots market I am selecting for this highly anticipated fixture and for Liverpool’s total shots to be over 18.5 which is best priced at 26/25 with
Unibet.
Slot’s men have had the highest total number of shots of any side this campaign and have averaged 16.5 shots across their matches this term, with Mo Salah taking the 2nd most shots with 59 after Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.
Given The Red Devils’ creaky defence and Liverpool’s lively and dangerous front players, who have produced 142 shots in just their last 7 PL fixtures, an average of 20.3 shots per game, I feel the shots will reign down once again on Andre Onana. Overall, I believe it will be one of the most one-sided matches in the history of this illustrious fixture.
They will not let up and will look to inflict an absolute caning which makes this bet all the more attractive. Given the great competition for places, any subs coming on will look to keep pounding away at the brittle United backline.
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Liverpool vs Manchester United Best Bet
- Market:
Team Total Shots
- Selection:
Liverpool Over 18.5
- Odds:
26/25
- Stake:
2pts
- Bookie:
Unibet
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