Manchester United vs Liverpool – News and Probable Lineups

Although Manchester United and Liverpool are not in the running for the Premier League title this season, the encounter at Old Trafford this Sunday is still considered one of the pinnacle matchups in English football.

The pressure rises even more for gameweek 35 since the home side can secure a Champions League spot with a win, and the same goes for the visitors provided other results favor them.

Match overview

Having won just one of their four Premier League matches between March 4 and April 13 marked a minor setback rather than the beginning of an overall decline for Manchester United under Michael Carrick, whose team is now on the verge of rejoining the European elite with just one more victory needed.

After managing only five points from a possible 12 during that mentioned period, the Red Devils have bounced back with two narrow victories, defeating Chelsea 1-0, followed by a 2-1 victory over Brentford with contributions from Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko on Monday night.

With an 11-point gap from sixth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion and four games left, Manchester United will qualify for the Champions League with a win on Sunday; a draw could also suffice if Brighton does not beat Newcastle United, while even a loss could be acceptable if Brighton fails to win and Bournemouth falters against Crystal Palace.

No matter if UCL football is guaranteed this weekend, it’s more a matter of when than if Carrick’s team solidifies a top-five finish in the Premier League – a considerable accomplishment for the interim head coach to showcase before this summer’s managerial evaluations.

Additionally, the hosts have accumulated 29 points since Carrick took over, making it the highest of any Premier League club in that timeframe. With a total of 36 points at the Theatre of Dreams throughout 2025-26, Manchester United has already surpassed last season’s entire home points tally by 12.

Led by PFA Player of the Year nominee Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United is on a remarkable 23-match scoring streak across all competitions, finding the net twice in six of their last seven home games.

A victory for Manchester United would solidify their chances in the top five, but Liverpool’s situation is slightly more complex as they enter the round three points behind their rivals in the league standings.

To secure their Champions League berth with three matches remaining, Liverpool needs to achieve a win and rely on Brighton and Bournemouth dropping points; a draw would not suffice, as Brighton would still be at most nine points behind with three games to go.

Speaking of three, the reigning champions are on a joyful three-match winning streak in the Premier League, having triumphed over Crystal Palace 3-1 last weekend, although the result was overshadowed by a significant protest against the ownership due to rising ticket prices.

On a brighter note, the Reds have climbed to fourth place in the Premier League standings, but they have only managed one victory in their last 12 matches against teams starting the day in the upper three, drawing seven of those encounters.

Liverpool also suffered a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Anfield back in October, but after last season’s 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford, head coach Slot could become the first Liverpool manager to win both of his initial away league matches against Manchester United – whether in the Premier League or First Division.

Team News

Manchester United is expected to have all their attacking options available this week, as Matheus Cunha appeared in training on Thursday after missing the victory over Brentford due to a minor hip issue.

There is optimism surrounding Luke Shaw’s fitness for the match, despite his recent injury, while the defensive pair Matthijs de Ligt (back injury) and Lisandro Martinez (suspension) will both miss out.

Bruno Fernandes, who assisted Sesko on Monday, is now just one Premier League assist away from equaling the single-season record of 20 set by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne in 2002-03 and 2019-20, respectively.

However, a significant injury boost for Manchester United stems from Liverpool’s side, as Mohamed Salah will not be available for the encounter due to the hamstring injury he sustained last weekend.

Liverpool confirmed that the 33-year-old is expected to return before the season concludes – implying he likely has not played his final game for the club yet – but he will miss out on adding to his remarkable tally of 16 goals and eight assists against Manchester United.

Salah joins Jayden Danns (hamstring), Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Conor Bradley (knee), Giovanni Leoni (knee), Wataru Endo (ankle) and Giorgi Mamardashvili (knee), while Alisson Becker (unspecified injury) has yet to train, making him a major doubt.

Slot also mentioned in his pre-match press conference that Milos Kerkez is dealing with a slight issue, but Andrew Robertson, who scored last weekend’s second goal, is anticipated to start in Manchester United x Liverpool for the last time nonetheless.

Manchester United probable starting XI:

Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko

Liverpool probable starting XI:

Woodman; Jones, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak

Both Manchester United and Liverpool have not been overwhelming their opponents during their recent good runs, and a tightly contested encounter is expected at Old Trafford.

A victory for Liverpool seems unlikely given their injury difficulties, yet the Reds can still thwart their rivals from taking all three points, even if just securing one might be sufficient for Manchester United to reclaim their Champions League status.