Both Man United and Liverpool seem on top of their games lately so it will be more than difficult to separate the two for this weekend’s massive showdown for 2nd place in the Premier League. Mourinho’s squad might be a bit more pumped up after coming back from a 2 goal disadvantage to win the away game against Crystal Palace. This could be the extra edge they need.
Injury wise, even if Liverpool are expected to have only one unavailable player on game-day, there should not be that big of a discrepancy.
All of United’s injured players have been out for a while and with the size and depth of the squad at his disposal Jose Mourinho should have the necessary firepower to take on Liverpool.
Here is how Manchester United’s infirmary looks like right now:
Marcos Rojo – knee issues – out since mid-December. He is expected to be available for the Liverpool game but is unlikely to play as Lindelof, Smalling and Bailly are more likely selections.
Ander Herrera – Hamstring Injury – out since the 21st of February. The Spaniard has no return date set.
Phil Jones – strain – his 8th injury in just over 12 months. He has no return date set and will definitely miss the Liverpool clash.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Knee Injury – no return date set. It is unlikely to see him on the pitch anytime soon.
Daley Blind – Ankle Injury – out since January, the versatile Dutchman is unlikely to feature at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Marouane Fellaini – Knee Ligament Injury – out since the end of January. He is expected to return in 2-3 weeks.
Anthony Martial – minor strain – picked up against Chelsea. He is expected to be available against Liverpool which is good news as he seems one of the players who can really do damage to Jurgen Klopp’s defence.
Liverpool have an almost complete squad with 2 out of 3 injured players only a slight doubt for this Saturday:
Nathaniel Clyne – Back Injury/Fitness – he did not play a single game this season and is unlikely to be thrown on the pitch in what could be a decisive game for Liverpool.
Jordan Henderson – Leg issue – he is expected to be fit for this Saturday.
Georginio Wijnaldum – Illness – out for about 2 weeks now. While he could play this Saturday, he is unlikely to be seen on the pitch.
This should be a pretty well-balanced game and injuries will not likely play a role in deciding who wins. Hopefully United will use momentum from the Crystal Palace game and will get a much needed win that will boost their morale ahead of their Champions League clash against Sevilla and will also put some distance between them and Liverpool in 3rd place. We see it as a 2-1 Man United win.