Manchester United will travel to Anfield for their first match of 2025 on Sunday.
Liverpool go into the game as Premier League leaders, six points clear of Arsenal, so they will be distant favourites to take three points from Manchester United.
The odds are bound to favour Arne Slot’s side because of the form sheet. United have lost their four previous matches since winning the Manchester derby, and it will take something special to beat Liverpool this weekend.
While Liverpool position themselves to compete for the title, United find themselves 14th – closer to the relegation zone than the Champions League spots. It’s not where we want to be, but the only way to turn things around is by winning football matches.
Ruben Amorim has had a rocky start to life at Old Trafford, and he’s currently witnessing United in crisis mode. Nobody expected relegation fears when he succeeded Erik ten Hag over a month ago.
Arne Slot dismisses ‘strange question’
Although the table reads poorly for United, Slot will be warning his Liverpool players not to underestimate their rivals.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 9 |  Aston VillaAston Villa | 19 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 28 | 31 | -3 | 29 |
| 10 |  BrightonBrighton | 19 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 29 | 28 | 1 | 27 |
| 11 |  TottenhamTottenham | 19 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 41 | 28 | 13 | 24 |
| 12 |  BrentfordBrentford | 19 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 33 | 35 | -2 | 24 |
| 13 |  West HamWest Ham | 19 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 23 | 35 | -12 | 23 |
| 14 |  Man UtdManchester United | 19 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 21 | 26 | -5 | 22 |
| 15 |  Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace | 19 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 20 | 27 | -7 | 20 |
| 16 |  EvertonEverton | 18 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 24 | -9 | 17 |
| 17 |  WolvesWolves | 19 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 31 | 42 | -11 | 16 |
| 18 |  IpswichIpswich | 19 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 33 | -15 | 15 |
Key:
Position 1 – 4 : Champions LeaguePosition 5 : UEFA Europa League
Position 18 – 20 : Relegation
One reporter attending Slot’s press conference on Friday morning cheekily asked whether Slot will rest any players for the game against United.
In response, Slot said: “That’s a strange question. No, of course I’m not planning to rest any player.
“They have much better players, in my opinion, than the league table shows at the minute.”
Slot doesn’t want to say anything that will come back to bite him. He will be mindful of how United drew at Anfield and knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup last season.
Slot sympathises with Amorim
Although the pressure Amorim will face at United will be like no other, Slot has tried to suggest other managers experience the same elsewhere.
The Liverpool manager stressed managers still sympathise with each other because they’re aware of the pressure that exists in football.
“I think every manager sympathises with every other manager because we all know how much pressure this job brings,” Slot added.
“That’s not different for him than for me or for any other manager that works in the Premier League, or somewhere else around the world. It’s a job where there’s a lot of pressure.
“He’s done so well at Sporting, and again, I think he has a good squad of players, so he will eventually bring the best out of them.”
Ten Hag had no shortage of critics in the media which made his job harder. That is one of the reasons why the United job is like no other – with Real Madrid being the only exception.
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