By Daniel Davis
Published: 18:00 BST, 4 April 2024 | Updated: 20:34 BST, 4 April 2024
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19:30, 14‘
Chelsea 1-0 Man United
Over the top from Cucurella! That was ambitious.
Maguire’s attempted clearance was poor and back the ball came, with Cucurella teed up on the edge of the area on his right foot.
WATCH: Gallagher’s opener
19:28, 11‘
Chelsea 1-0 Man United
United have certainly settled into the contest now.
Antony cut in on his left (shock, horror) but his effort was held easily by Petrovic. At the other end, Mudryk bent wide after a deflection.
Garnacho has also been given a glimpse at goal but his venomous strike from a matter of yards out was blocked.
This game is flowing very nicely indeed.
HALF TIME – Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United
Job done so far for the table toppers.
It’s been smooth sailing for most of the half but they have also been bailed out by a couple of very good stops from Kelleher.
Nunez’s goal, which came from a poor mistake from Grbic, is the difference between the two sides on Merseyside.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Man United (Gallagher, 4)
First blood for the hosts! What a start!
United lost the ball cheaply in midfield and Gusto’s cross deflected out off Varane before landing kindly at Gallagher’s feet.
The midfielder lashed toward goal with a fine first-time shot that beat Onana. A nightmare opening few minutes for the visitors.
19:19, 49‘
Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United
Big save from Kelleher on the stroke of half-time!
Sheffield United bookended the half with two very good chances.
This time, Bogle broke through but forced Kelleher into a strong save.
19:19, 47‘
Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United
Lots of patient possession for Liverpool as they cruise into the break.
Oh, hang on! I almost spoke too soon.
Diaz rifled an effort wide of the far post with Grbic troubled.
19:16, 45‘
Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United
There will be four added minutes to round off the half.
Ahmedhodzic got in behind and stabbed over, but he was offside.
KICK OFF! Chelsea v Man United
We’re also underway at Stamford Bridge!
19:15, 44‘
Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United
Szboszlai loves a long-ranger. Not sure Grbic enjoyed it so much.
The midfielder cracked an effort at goal from distance and got plenty of power behind it, forcing the keeper to palm over the crossbar.
19:14, 42‘
Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United
A weak effort from Gravenberch was scooped up by Grbic.
Diaz’s brilliant feet started the move and got the crowd on their feet, before the hosts worked the ball into midfield.
19:10, 39‘
Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United
Ten efforts at goal now for Liverpool, who are in complete control.
I think they’ve got more in the tank, too.
19:08, 36‘
Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United
Liverpool are keeping the ball well and probing for gaps.
This just feels like a matter of time before 2-0.
19:05, 33‘
Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United
CLOSE! What an effort from Mac Allister.
He took aim from the edge of the area and bent a wonderful strike just wide. That missed the target by a matter of inches.
19:02, 30‘
Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United
Half an hour on the clock and Liverpool lead by a goal.
It was a poor opening five minutes or so and Sheffield United really should have scored, but the hosts responded magnificently.
They’re pressing relentlessly and earned their reward after Nunez charged down Grbic’s kick. You can watch that yourself below.
If you support the Blades, you’re excused. Don’t worry.
18:59, 27‘
Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United
For the first time in quite a while, the visitors broke up an attack and countered, with Brereton Diaz drawing a cheap foul from Konate.
The ball in was poor, though, and Kelleher claimed with ease.
18:54, 24‘
Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United
Wide from Gomez. His wait for his first goal goes on.
18:52, 22‘
Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United
Nunez should score! Sheffield United are all at sea at the back.
Diaz and the frontman combined sharply in and around the box, allowing the latter to wriggle into some room and look to shoot.
He was surrounded by defenders but still managed to squeeze a strike away, with Grbic holding on down the centre of his goal.
18:51, 20‘
Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United
Just over the top from Bradley. Liverpool smell blood.
Anfield urged him to shoot and he did just that after being found by Mac Allister on the edge of the box, over to the right.
He cut across his strike, however, and thrashed it over the crossbar.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United (Nunez, 17)
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. It’s a howler from the keeper. When your team are staring down the barrel of relegation, you can’t be doing that.
Grbic looked to hack the ball downfield but took too long, allowing Nunez to pile the pressure on and charge down the attempted kick.
To Chris Wilder’s horror, the ball then deflected back and into the net.
It’s a strange way to go ahead but Liverpool won’t mind one bit!
18:46, 14‘
Liverpool 0-0 Sheffield United
Ooooof, that would have been trademark Mo Salah.
The superstar picked up the ball on the right of the box and looked to guide one into the far corner with the inside of his boot.
It had plenty of power but lacked direction, with Grbic untroubled.
18:44, 11‘
Liverpool 0-0 Sheffield United
Involved in the next attack was, yep, you guessed it, Conor Bradley!
That time, the full back flashed a wicked ball across the face of goal. Luis Diaz slid in but just couldn’t make contact.
Liverpool are awake now and are turning the screw.
Liverpool 0-0 Sheffield United
Conor Bradley… what a gem.
He steamed away down the right before driving into the box and looking to find a team-mate. No one in red was ready, though!
Liverpool 0-0 Sheffield United
Nunez then nodded wide from the following corner.
He craned every sinew of his neck to meet Gomez’s hanging cross but just couldn’t get enough on it to divert the header at goal.
Liverpool 0-0 Sheffield United
Diaz did very well out on the left before play was shifted to Nunez.
A cross then came into the box and fell kindly for Salah on the far side, with the forward then looking to lob a deft effort into the corner.
Grbic backpedalled to palm over the crossbar.
Liverpool 0-0 Sheffield United
A slight pause in the game after Gravenberch and Souza clashed heads. Both are thankfully on their feet and OK to continue.
Liverpool 0-0 Sheffield United
The resulting corner was whacked into the box toward Brereton Diaz, who couldn’t get an effort on goal under pressure from Bradley.
A sloppy opening couple of minutes from Liverpool.
Liverpool 0-0 Sheffield United
BIG SAVE! The visitors almost had the perfect start!
A long throw from Robinson caused chaos inside Liverpool’s box and McAtee, from a few yards out, forced a superb stop from Kelleher.
The angle was tight but the goalkeeper made himself look very big. In the end, his gangling legs bailed out the title chasers.
KICK OFF! Liverpool v Sheffield United
Here we go! It’s absolutely bucketing it down on Merseyside.
Teams are out!
Here come the players at Anfield!
It’s almost go-time!
The Anfield atmosphere is ramping up. KO is in less than 10 minutes.
Man United team news
Starting XI: Onana, Dalot, Maguire, Varane, Wan-Bissaka, Casemiro, Mainoo, Fernandes, Garnacho, Antony, Hojlund
Substitutes: Heaton, Amrabat, Mount, Rashford, Eriksen, Diallo, Evans, McTominay, Kambwala
Chelsea team news
Starting XI: Petrovic, Gusto, Disasi, Badiashile, Cucurella, Fernandez, Caicedo, Gallagher, Mudryk, Palmer, Jackson
Substitutes: Bettinelli, Silva, Sterling, Madueke, Chalobah, Chukwuemeka, Casadei, Gilchrist, Tauriainen
Rashford dropped
According to reports, Marcus Rashford has been benched tonight!
Grand plans
Chris Wilder is plotting to upset Liverpool tonight and ahead of kick-off, he revealed exactly how his side will have to approach this game.
‘We have to be the best we are, defend well, be aggressive, competitive and can’t just give them the ball back,’ Wilder said.
“We will have to have a huge night if we are to get a big result.
‘We’re playing at Anfield with them going for the title in front of 60,000 at a cathedral of a ground known worldwide.
‘We have to rise to the occasion. We need a top, top performance.’
A huge night
Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino were all smiles before kick-off.
I wonder how they’ll be feeling at the final whistle, though.
We’ll have team news for this game in less than 10 minutes.
No margin for error
It really is a case of do-or-die for Manchester United this evening.
Erik ten Hag has just wandered out to the centre circle at Stamford Bridge, a rare moment of peace of mind for the under-pressure boss.
A win would put United six points adrift of fifth place, which is likely to be enough to secure Champions League football next season.
If they were to lose, though… well, it wouldn’t bode well for Ten Hag, especially with INEOS plotting sweeping changes this summer.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are 12th, one point behind Bournemouth. It’s been a torrid season so far for Mauricio Pochettino and his players.
‘We must be at our A-game’
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, speaking to TNT Sports…
‘We have got to have a structure and we have got to enjoy the challenge ahead of us.
‘I am sure that plenty of players would love to be in the position that our players are in tonight, in front of an incredible crowd.
‘We have got to perform tonight and bring our A-game to get anything.
‘This is the Premier League and if you are going to get the shock result we have to be at our A-game.’
Klopp ‘calm’ despite title pressure
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, speaking to TNT Sports…
‘I am happy with our situation and I don’t think you can compare these things, a lot of things have changed since then [2019-20 title win].
‘If you start the season you hope for things like this, but it is a long journey and we want to make the final step as well.
‘[I’m] calm. I know people might not believe that, I am pretty calm. I cannot force it and it is about making sure the boys enjoy it.’
Reporting for duty!
Liverpool are in the building and look like they mean business.
They stroll past the ‘Walk of Champions’ wall on every home matchday, which tallies up the number of trophies in their history.
Can they chalk up another Premier League gong this season?
We’ll find out in just a matter of weeks!
McBurnie benched
Sheffield United have also made two changes tonight.
James McAtee and Auston Trusty have been recalled, with Ben Osborn and Oli McBurnie dropping down to the bench.
Oliver Arblaster and Vinicius Souza are both fit despite knock fears.
This is a big occasion for Jack Robinson, who progressed through the academy at Anfield. He’ll hope to make an impression.
Konate, Gravenberch in
Liverpool have made two changes to the side that started the victory against Brighton, while Wataru Endo has missed out on the squad.
Ibrahima Konate starts at centre back with Jarrell Quansah on the bench, while Ryan Gravenberch comes into central midfield.
Curtis Jones is among the substitutes after returning to fitness, as is Andy Robertson. That’s a real boost for the Reds.
That front three… that’s some serious firepower.
Sheffield United team news
Starting XI: Grbic, Robinson, Ahmedhodzic, Holgate, Trusty, Hamer, Arblaster, Souza, Bogle, Brereton Diaz, McAtee
Substitutes: Foderingham, Osborn, Larouci, Curtis, Norwood, Ben Slimane, Brooks, Osula, McBurnie
Liverpool team news
Starting XI: Kelleher, Gomez, van Dijk, Konate, Bradley, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Diaz, Nunez, Salah
Substitutes: Adrian, Jones, Gakpo, Elliot, Tsmikas, Robertson, Clark, Danns, Quansah
Early Liverpool team news
Andy Robertson and Curtis Jones are both in contention tonight.
Jones is in full training while Robertson has unsurprisingly been hailed as ‘very important’ by Jurgen Klopp ahead of this game.
Wataru Endo picked up a knock during the win against Brighton and Klopp admitted ‘we will see what we can do with him’.
Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson remain sidelined.
Klopp: We must be professional
Jurgen Klopp is keen for Liverpool to remain level-headed despite their title challenge but wants to see the ‘best version’ of his side.
Speaking to reporters, he said: ‘After we lost at Arsenal, we were not the favourites after that game, maybe rightly so.
‘I don’t know and I don’t care.
‘One of the most important things to get through this period is just to ignore the outside mess because that goes up and down.
‘We have to be professional. We have to be emotional in the right way.
‘We have to be the best version of ourselves, try to play the best football we can and then see what the outcome is.’
Make no mistake, this is a huge evening for the Reds…
Good evening!
Hello, all! I hope everyone’s strapped in and ready for another dramatic night of Premier League action. I know I am!
This season’s title race has turned into an absolute classic. We’ve got a three-way fight on our hands, ladies and gentlemen.
Tonight, it’s over to Liverpool. A victory against Sheffield United would send them back to the top, above Arsenal and Manchester City.
They’re the title favourites and this *should* be comfortable for them.
Then, a little later, it’s over to Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea will host a crisis-hit Manchester United, whose top-five hopes are rapidly fading.
Erik ten Hag needs a miracle to qualify for the Champions League – and potentially save his job – and it needs to start today in the capital.
We’ll have all the team news and updates right here.
Key Updates
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Man United (Gallagher, 4)
KICK OFF! Chelsea v Man United
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Sheffield United (Nunez, 17)
KICK OFF! Liverpool v Sheffield United
Man United team news
Chelsea team news
Sheffield United team news
Liverpool team news
Good evening!
Premier League
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