Meeting number 240 between Liverpool and Manchester United headlines this weekend's Premier League action, as the Reds host their long-time adversaries in front of what could be a record-breaking Anfield crowd in the Premier League era.
As many as 57,000 fans could take their seats for Sunday's blockbuster showdown, where Liverpool will endeavour to maintain or increase their one-point lead over Arsenal atop the standings, having bumped the Gunners down to the silver medal position last week.
In contrast, Erik ten Hag's out-of-sorts side are rank outsiders for Champions League qualification as things stand, languishing in sixth place in the Premier League rankings owing to last weekend's horror show against Bournemouth, who left Old Trafford with a 3-0 win under their belts.
However, both sides share the sole objective of bouncing back from European losses, as Jurgen Klopp's side went down 2-1 to Union SG in their Europa League finale, while Ten Hag's men exited continental football entirely with a 1-0 Champions League loss to Bayern Munich.
With an array of world-class talent on show all across the field - and plenty more renowned names missing out through injury - Sports Mole picks a combined XI from both teams, using only players expected to be available for the showdown.
Andre Onana boasting more Premier League clean sheets than Alisson Becker in 2023-24 may seem inconceivable, but the Manchester United man does indeed lead the way with five shut-outs compared to the Brazilian's four, albeit having played two more games and conceding nine more goals. With the Cameroon international also prone to the odd mistake and Alisson boasting the best save percentage of any goalkeeper in the top flight this term - 80.4% - the Liverpool number one walks into our XI.
Alisson's inarguable selection sets the Liverpool tone for this combined lineup, as many readers would have likely foreseen. With neither Aaron Wan-Bissaka nor Diogo Dalot nailing down the right-back spot at Man United, and with Trent Alexander-Arnold already contributing two goals and two assists in the current top-flight campaign, Liverpool's vice-captain was also a simple pick. However, with Andrew Robertson still nursing his shoulder concern, there is room for one Red Devils delegate in the backline, as Luke Shaw has been given the green light to play and beats Kostas Tsimikas to the left-back spot, having averaged slightly more key passes per 90 (1.7 to 1.5) and a marginally better pass success rate of 86.7% compared to 86.3% for the Greek.
Rediscovering his fearsome 'aura' since being appointed full-time captain, Virgil van Dijk is once again cutting a formidable figure in the Reds' backline. As well as winning 68 aerial duels this term - the second most in the league behind Ethan Pinnock's 72 - the Dutchman has chipped in with one goal and two assists at the other end of the field and comfortably strolls into our team. The reborn Harry Maguire would have had a case for selection, but with the Englishman now confirmed to be missing out through injury - sharing the same fate as Lisandro Martinez and Joel Matip - Van Dijk is joined by a regular partner in Ibrahima Konate, who edges out compatriot Raphael Varane on account of the World Cup winner falling out of favour this season.
Both sides enter Sunday's tie with decimated engine rooms, as all of Casemiro, Alexis Mac Allister, Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Mason Mount and Christian Eriksen are injured, while Bruno Fernandes has been ruled out of the crunch clash through suspension. However, the latter has lost the spotlight to Scott McTominay, who has been the Red Devils' chief goal threat with a team-high five Premier League goals this season - which says as much about Ten Hag's under-performing attackers as much as it does about the Scotsman's improvement - and he acts as our number six ahead of Wataru Endo and Sofyan Amrabat.
Kobbie Mainoo is undeniably a top talent, but the 18-year-old is still learning his trade in the engine room, where Dominik Szoboszlai has excelled for Liverpool since his arrival. Starting all 16 of their top-flight contests and weighing in with two goals and three assists, Szoboszlai also ranks in the top 10 for progressive passes with 101, and every penny of the £60m the Reds spent on him was justified. Ryan Gravenberch has not quite had the same impact since departing Bayern Munich, as he is yet to score or assist in the top flight, but with Fernandes banned and so many other midfield options in the care of the doctors, the promising Dutchman - who has two goals and one assist from five Europa League contests - is in.
McTominay's inclusion is where the Man United representation ends, as between all eight of the Red Devils' senior attackers - including the exiled Jadon Sancho and injured Amad Diallo - the Red Devils' offensive contingent have managed just four goals, as many as Darwin Nunez has bagged for himself. The Uruguay international may still be guilty of spurning a gilt-edged chance or two in most matches, but he has made up for such wastefulness with strong link-up play, registering five assists since the top-flight season commenced.
With Diogo Jota still working his way back from a muscular problem, Nunez's teammate Luis Diaz comfortably beats an off-colour Marcus Rashford to the left-wing berth, despite only finding the back of the net three times in the top flight so far. Diaz's tally pales into insignificance when his parents' horrifying kidnapping ordeal is taken into account, though, and his equaliser against Luton Town while the situation was unfolding could yet prove crucial to Liverpool's title hopes.
Finally, Liverpool's resident record-breaker and the top scorer in fixtures between the Reds and Man United seeks to subject the Red Devils to another afternoon of Anfield torment. Only trailing Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race, 11-goal attacker Mohamed Salah has netted 12 times against Sunday's visitors down the years - his highest tally against a single opponent - and was bestowed with his '200' shirt after reaching a double century for Liverpool against Crystal Palace last week. A bargain £43.9m purchase from Roma, Salah's 11 Premier League goals in 2023-24 is the same number of contributions that £85m man Antony has managed in all competitions for Man United since his arrival from Ajax (eight of his own and three assists), and the latter could learn a thing or two from Liverpool's record Premier League scorer if he is to finally open his goal or assist account for the ongoing campaign.
Ben Knapton
