Man United 0-1 Liverpool – Premier League: Live score, team news and updates as Luis Diaz silences home fans with close-range finish as visitors pull off fine corner move to punish their bitter rivals in first half

Liverpool land the first blow!

Dominik Szoboszlai has to do better.

Liverpool have started playing some nice stuff, and Andrew Robertson whips in a lovely low cross for Szoboszlai to attack, but he skews it wide.

The Hungarian midfielder is really getting involved at Old Trafford, that’s his third shot already.

Bruno Fernandes sends his arms flailing in the air, he thinks he should have a penalty.

The referee does blow his whistle, but not for a spot kick, but for an offside.

Brilliant interception from Diogo Dalot!

Liverpool are three on two, Darwin Nunez has options to his left and his right, but his ball is cut out expertly by Dalot.

This match is simply frantic.

Chris Wheeler, Mail Sport, at Old Trafford:

It’s already clear that the players are going to struggle to keep their feet on the greasy surface at Old Trafford, although Conor Bradley didn’t give Marcus Rashford much choice with that challenge that upended the United No.10. Frantic start here.

As Ian Ladyman has just said, both teams are going for this.

After a period of Man United dominance, Liverpool now come forward in numbers.

Mo Salah sees an effort deflected wide before Dominik Szoboszlai smashes one just inches over the bar from the resulting corner.

There are going to be a lot of efforts in this match.

Ian Ladyman, Mail Sport Football Editor, at Old Trafford:

A quick prediction here. I will go for 2-2.

The early stages have already shown us that there are goals to be had for both teams

Conor Bradley receives the first booking of this feisty encounter, after just seven minutes.

The Liverpool full-back went flying in on Marcus Rashford and is rightfully brandished a yellow card.

Old Trafford is really up for this right now!

Oh, Darwin Nunez…

The Uruguayan forward goes marauding forward and has Mo Salah with him, but rather than passing he slips over and Harry Maguire clears.

Nunez simply had to pass, Salah would have been in!

What a start to this game.

Liverpool I’m sure will get many chances in this game, and their first has just come through Dominik Szoboszlai, as he forces Andre Onana into a save.

Great football!

Nearly an electric start for Man United.

Liverpool give the ball away and United fly forward, Bruno Fernandes mistimes his pass to Alejandro Garnacho though, and despite the latter rounding Caoimhin Kelleher and scoring, it’s ruled out.

The let-off in Old Trafford was huge, regardless.

Here we go then!

The atmosphere is bubbling under the surface, ready to explode at any point. The hosts get us underway.

Who will come out on top?

The rain is lashing down and songs are being sung, we are nearly ready at Old Trafford.

Virgil van Dijk and Bruno Fernandes shake hands on the turf, the battle is about to start.

Liverpool fans are already very loud in that corner.

Kick-off is just over five minutes away, are the nerves jangling?

Old Trafford is starting to fill up, people are sitting in front of television sets all around the world, and we are all ready for this huge clash.

The teams will be out to a thunderous atmosphere, very soon.

If you’re in Manchester, I hope you have brought a brolly!

The weather is not looking kind to the fans at Old Trafford, as Chris Wheeler has displayed in this video.

Make sure you keep your laptop dry Chris!

Ian Ladyman, Mail Sport Football Editor, at Old Trafford:

It’s hard to argue with the team Erik ten Hag has picked here at a wet and windy Old Trafford. There is pace in the team – through Rashford, Garnacho, and Hojlund – and that is the thing that ultimately hurt Liverpool in the FA Cup game here and once again provides them with some hope today.

We can expect Liverpool to dominate the ball once again here but they must be more clinical than they were in throwing the cup game away three weeks ago.

Nathan Salt, Mail Sport:

Erik ten Hag has just had a chat to Sky and he’s right about Marcus Rashford and this being a big opportunity for him. Antony was immense away to Chelsea and can feel hard done by to be dropped to the bench but he won’t be warming that for long if Rashford flatters to deceive.

This has been a fixture he’s relished and having scored here in the cup game he’ll need to step up again today. Conor Bradley is great for Liverpool but United’s left side can cause plenty of headaches for Liverpool today.

Both teams have entered from stage right and have been welcomed with a downpour of rain.

I love football and rain combined, it brings out some epic sliding challenges.

in a game like this, I’m sure there will be lots of them today!

A certain Luke Littler, who is top of the Premier League…of darts, has arrived at Old Trafford.

The avid Manchester United fan knows how to score a treble, but will he see his side pick up three points against their rivals.

Cue the music…

Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool defender, speaking on Sky Sports:

I think the FA Cup game was a big lesson for that Liverpool team. There were eight of them who had never played at Old Trafford before. I think that lesson will really help today.

There was a stage in the second half of the game where it became almost a testimonial. That was a big mistake. They didn’t kill the game off. I don’t think they will make that mistake again because when you come to Old Trafford, you never feel safe as a Liverpool player.

Even if they are 2-0 up with 15 minutes to go, something can still go wrong. You have always got to guard against that but Liverpool should have confidence knowing that if they play well, they should win the game.

It’s a massive day for Manchester United’s defence.

Erik ten Hag’s side are missing some key members of their backline through injury, such as Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, and Luke Shaw.

United have struggled to keep teams out over the course of this season, allowing 225 shots in 2024, more than any other side in Europe’s top five leagues.

They could be in for another tough day…

Chris Wheeler, Mail Sport, has confirmed Scott McTominay is missing today’s big clash through injury.

It could be a big miss for Manchester United, the Scotsman opened the scoresheet in their 4-3 FA Cup win over the Reds.

Gary Neville, former Manchester United captain, speaking on Sky Sports:

I think these Manchester United players will have been really down on Friday, after the Chelsea game. They will have been thinking, “This is the worst fixture we could have next.”

How I see them doing well today is if they grow into the game. Liverpool gave them encouragement in the last game in the FA Cup by leaving them in the match. I am a little bit worried about today, particularly the first half hour. But if United get through that, I think they will be OK.

Marcus Rashford is such an important player for United. They don’t have world-class players throughout their squad. But what they have in Rashford is someone who can deliver world-class moments. I think he is a person who can cause Conor Bradley and whoever is right centre-back problems.

Any fan lucky enough to be inside Old Trafford today knows how huge this match is.

When Manchester United and Liverpool clash, the atmosphere can be electric, whatever ground they play in.

The fans are arriving now, will these United fans be smiling in three hours?

Oliver Holt, Mail Sport Chief Sports Writer, at Old Trafford:

It is hard to think that Manchester United have anything more than a puncher’s chance today. In a one-off game, anything can happen, of course, and United will try to bring the same spirit they conjured for their FA Cup victory here recently. It’s still hard to look past Liverpool, though.

Mo Salah has a terrific record against United and with the home defence depleted again, it will be hard to keep him off the scoresheet.

The title race this season is truly gripping.

You simply can’t take your eyes off it at any point, the pendulum swings on a daily basis.

With both Arsenal and Manchester City winning yesterday, comfortably may I add, is today now a must-win game for Liverpool.

You’d feel the Reds would become the favourites with three points today.

After being dropped for the defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Marcus Rashford is back in from the start for Manchester United.

The United winger loves a goal against their rivals, netting seven against them during his career.

He has been criticised for a lack of effort recently, but I’m sure he will be putting in a shift today.

It would be huge for the team if he returned with a goal.

Endo is fit enough to start for Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp has made three changes from midweek’s 3-1 win over Sheffield United.

Jarrell Quansah and Andy Robertson are preferred to Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez in the defence.

The big news from the Manchester United camp is that Willy Kambwala makes just his second league start.

He is one of two changes Erik ten Hag has made from the side that lost 4-3 away at Chelsea.

Marcus Rashford returns in place of Antony.

We are very close to finding out who both Erik ten Hag and Jurgen Klopp have named in their starting 11s.

Will Wataru Endo return for Liverpool? Who will line up at the back for Manchester United?

We will find out in five minutes.

Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, on tragedy chanting:

I just see it this way, that two of the biggest clubs in the world, let’s just show a bit of class in these moments.

So don’t sing this or that, just show class, have a fight on the pitch, let’s just play football, if you want to be happy, if you lose, whatever but besides all of that just show a bit of class, that would be my wish really for all of us.

Erik ten Hag, Manchester United boss, on eradicating tragedy chants:

As such, it is part of my duty to remind every supporter fortunate enough to be at the game that it must be enjoyed in the proper way, and not used as an excuse for abusing rival fans about Hillsborough, Heysel, or any other historic tragedies.

Ryan Babel doesn’t seem to think Manchester United are Liverpool’s opponents today.

I’m sure the former Red will have rattled a few United fans with this post.

Mohamed Salah loves playing at Old Trafford.

The so-called ‘Egyptian King’ has netted all eight of his goals at the Theatre of Dreams in his last five visits there.

The 31-year-old is also the only opposition player to net a hat-trick at Old Trafford in the Premier League era.

If he scores today, he will become the first opposition player to score in four consecutive League matches at Old Trafford.

After his performance in midweek, he will be desperate to get back his regular goalscoring ways in Manchester.

Old Trafford is going to be a cauldron of noise in around 90 minutes.

The Theatre of Dreams has been the location of many historic United wins over Liverpool, and each time the crowd really ‘brought it’.

They will have to do the same today if they want the three points!

It’s set to be a huge day for one Manchester United player.

According to reports, Harry Amass, who is just 17 years old, has been called up to the first-team squad for today’s clash against Liverpool.

United have had a defensive crisis ongoing for a while now, so Erik ten Hag has decided to include the young full-back.

What a day it is set to be for the young lad, I remember a certain Trent Alexander-Arnold making his debut for Liverpool at Old Trafford at just 19.

Look what he has gone on to do!

Manchester United have not enjoyed this fixture in recent years.

The Red Devils have won just one of their last 11 league games against Liverpool, losing six of them.

However, their one win was in this exact fixture last season.

Erik ten Hag will remember that day fondly, it was his first league victory in charge of United.

Oh how he will want them to replicate that display today.

Fans of both Manchester United and Liverpool will tell you how nervous they get during the 90 minutes the teams collide.

Yesterday evening, I discussed the fixture with my girlfriend’s dad, who is a United fan, and he was certain his side would lose.

I think that conversation showed me just how devoid of confidence Red Devils fans are, they will have to hope their team isn’t.

United have beaten the Reds once already this season though…

Jurgen Klopp, speaking to the press on Friday:

Obviously, the next one [Manchester United] is the big one, like they all are. Somebody said we had the best fixture list or schedule; I looked at it and I really don’t know how you can have had that idea, maybe I’m too negative but it’s a tough one, good opponents.

We are ready and we want to be in that fight, so let’s see what we can make of it.

I know many Liverpool fans, and they are all desperate to get one back over on Manchester United after their 4-3 loss in this very match in the FA Cup.

Losing in the fashion the Reds did in March will have cut very deep on everyone involved in the club.

Today they have the chance for revenge, and what a time in the season it would be to inflict it.

The Reds will be eager to get out there.

Manchester United have arrived at Old Trafford, and they look focused.

It must have been incredibly painful to lose in the fashion they did on Thursday night, so surely they will be looking to bounce back instantly.

United fans will be expecting a response, there is no better team to inflict that on then your bitter rivals.

It’s going to be feisty!

Manchester United have not been having a good time of it lately.

After the Red Devils came out on top in a dramatic FA Cup encounter with the Reds in March, Erik ten Hag said it could have been a turning point in their season.

However, since then they dropped two points away at Brentford and conceded two stoppage-time goals at Stamford Bridge in a 4-3 loss to Chelsea.

It’s felt like one step forward, two steps back for United, and they will be hoping they take that one step forward again today.

It’s something we have all spoken about, can Jurgen Klopp say farewell to the Liverpool faithful with a title?

The Reds sit just one point shy of Arsenal at the top and can go back to the summit with a win over Manchester United.

Something special has been brewing at Anfield ever since the Big German revealed he would be leaving the club.

Will Liverpool take another step towards the title today

This is one of those matches everybody wants to watch.

No matter the form of either side, Manchester United and Liverpool are arguably the biggest two clubs in England, it’s a huge clash.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are looking to send their manager off into the sunset with a Premier League title and can go back top with three points at Old Trafford.

However, United could not think of anything worse than seeing that happen and will do everything they can to prevent it.

If the Reds slip up at their bitter rivals, it will be a huge blow to their title hopes and would give Arsenal the upper hand.

So much is riding on this game.

Oh boy, it’s a big one today.

Not only is it Manchester United vs Liverpool, perhaps the biggest rivalry in English football, but the result will have a huge impact on the title race.

United would love to be the reason their bitter rivals fall short in their effort to secure a record-equalling 20th title.

Liverpool, though, would enjoy heaping more misery on United after a wretched week for Erik ten Hag’s side.

It is a day of epic proportions, one that could play a key part in both side’s seasons.

Let’s get cracking then, shall we?