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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Scott Murray

Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool: Premier League – as it happened

Marcus Rashford celebrates after scoring the second Manchester United goal.
Marcus Rashford celebrates after scoring the second Manchester United goal. Photograph: Dave Thompson/AP

Jamie Jackson’s report has landed … and here it is. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!

Jurgen Klopp, presumably having finally concluded his bollocking, talks to Sky. “They were really aggressive in the beginning, it was clear what will happen. But reality shows if you are ready, or really ready, and they were more aggressive than us. They hit the post, then scored the goal, then we took over and played the game we wanted to play. We were unlucky with situations. The second one doesn’t help. Then we scored ours, and it became a hectic game with lots of interruptions and it’s definitely not the result we wanted. It was not perfect, we lost the game, and I think we were ready but not 100 percent. If we had this one situation, when we could have equalised, the game would change. But we had to keep changing the game. When you are in a rush, 2-0 down, you mishit crosses and passes, and against their counter-attacking threat it’s really difficult. We have to take it and work with it. We have to make sure nobody else gets injured, because we have no other options. I’m not concerned about our situation. We can play better but had good moments, and from tomorrow we will fight again.”

Liverpool wouldn’t be human if they struggled to go again, considering the way the last season ended for them. But until now, the noises coming out of their camp were all fairly positive: all “we’re over it” this, “the cup parade helped us put it behind us” that. Robertson’s reference to Wolves and Real Madrid might just be the first public admission that it’s all still nagging away at the back of their minds. Either way, here they are, hungover in 16th place. Jurgen Klopp’s take to come…

Andy Robertson talks to Sky. “Obviously it was not great. It’s definitely not the start to the season we wanted, it’s been really poor. We give every team a goal start. You can’t keep on giving yourselves an uphill battle. We started slow again, and that’s what we need to change. We tried to make them look nervous, but they didn’t, to be fair. We need to pick up performances individually, and quickly. We need to come together and address this as a team. It’s easy to talk about it, but we have to go and do it. Fulham, United, they started better than us, and you even go back to last season, Wolves, Real Madrid, Southampton … it needs to change. We’re a close unit, but things need to be said. Things will get better, but we need to start quickly. We need our first three points, that’s for sure. Even if we were top, we wouldn’t be thinking about the title race. We need to get our first win on the board, our first clean sheet, and get back to basics.”

Post-match postbag … because somebody had to. “From the look of the table, does that mean Liverpool are the new holders of the ‘crisis club’ baton? – David Wall.

“New owners … for Liverpool” – Jeff Sachs.

More from Ten Hag: “I think Bruno Fernandes showed leadership, together with Rafa Varane. They make a huge difference. But that is what they have to bring. We need more leaders. When you want a winning team, you need more leaders. We have to bring it in every game, not only against Liverpool. It starts with the spirit. Tactical is also part of it: where can you have weapons? We play with speed up front, that’s clear, but in midfield we played a good pass with Eriksen, Bruno and McTominay. I don’t have to mention that Maguire and Ronaldo are amazing players, and they will have a role in the future. Casemiro, Varane and Ronaldo have won trophies and will guide the younger players, I hope their presence will be a huge stimulation to the rest. We want to bring the right players in, not any players, but the window is not closed. We need numbers and quality.”

… and now Sky talk to Erik ten Hag. “We can talk about tactics, but it’s all about attitude. We brought it onto the pitch, there was a fighting spirit, and communication. You can see what they can achieve, because they can fucking good play football.”

[pause as discombobulated presenter performs double take, then apologises for the language despite it being over an hour past the watershed, and we’re all adults here]

“Sorry. [clearly still not getting why they’re making such a big deal of a wee sweary, he is from a grown-up country after all] I wanted a different approach to the Brentford game, and that’s what they brought to the pitch. This is why I am satisfied. We can play much better if we have more composure to make an extra pass. We have good players, but now we can be a team.”

Jadon Sancho talks to Sky: “It means a lot. Our first two games didn’t go so well, so we knew today was a big game, and that we had to turn it around. Last week hurt a lot. Now hopefully we get momentum, and next week we can get another win. It means a lot to us, and you can see how the fans reacted.”

His fellow goalscorer Marcus Rashford adds: “Regardless of the circumstances you’re in, a win over Liverpool is massive. We’ve not done so well, so the three points were massive. The difference was energy. We started at a good tempo. We were tired towards the end, but they got a goal back and we didn’t fold. On another day, I could have had a few more goals. For us to be able to switch, chop and change positions is massive.”

A little smile betrays Erik ten Hag’s supercool for a nanosecond. But he manages to make it to the tunnel without giving too much away. He’ll know there’s still an awful lot of work to do, but his players responded sensationally to that humiliation at Brentford last week, and their performance tonight demonstrates a world of possibility going forward. An epochal evening? Could be, and their players celebrate accordingly. Jurgen Klopp meanwhile takes care to congratulate United, but trudges off with an extremely grim look on his face. As good as United were – and take no credit away – Liverpool were appalling, and the 2-1 scoreline seriously flatters Klopp’s side. Nine days a long time in football? More like ninety minutes, given what most folk expected before kick-off. But now, everything’s turned on its head. Old Trafford en fête!

Pos Team P GD Pts
13 Aston Villa 3 -3 3
14 Man Utd 3 -4 3
15 AFC Bournemouth 3 -5 3
16 Liverpool 3 -1 2
17 Everton 3 -2 1

FULL TIME: Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool

The whistle goes, and United secure their first win of the season! They leapfrog Liverpool in the table, and Old Trafford rewards their new-look heroes with the ovation they deserve!

90 min +4: … then wins a corner down the right. This is a masterclass in clock management.

90 min +3: Martial draws a free kick in the midfield …

90 min +2: Van de Beek nudges Fabinho over in the centre circle. United are doing a fine job of stopping Liverpool’s rhythm, and building any pressure.

90 min +1: The first of five added minutes sees Ronaldo blaze over the bar from the edge of the Liverpool box. Then Martial fights his way past Tsimikas, but can’t nick the ball over Alisson. And finally Malacia clips Elliott late, and is fortunate not to go into the book.

Updated

90 min: Firmino chases Salah’s pass down the inside-right. Malacia comes across, barging into Firmino’s line and taking control, ushering the ball out for a goal kick. Carvalho knocks into the back of Martinez, who goes down in the gymnastic style.

88 min: Salah and Firmino try to cause some bother in the United box, but the ball squirts out for a goal kick. Varane goes down with cramp.

87 min: The game restarts and United sit back. Looks like the rest of this game will be attack versus defence. Liverpool ping it about to little effect.

86 min: Changes ahoy! Robertson makes way for Tsimikas, while the hosts make a triple change: Wan-Bissaka, Van de Beek and Ronaldo come on for Dalot, Eriksen and Rashford.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Erik Ten Hag.
Cristiano Ronaldo eager to get on. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

Updated

85 min: Salah wins a corner down the right. United fail to clear. Alexander-Arnold releases the pressure on the suddenly jittery hosts by hoicking aimlessly into the stand.

84 min: Eriksen tries to restore United’s two-goal cushion with a shot from distance. It disappears deep into the Stretford End.

83 min: There’s a bit of childish nonsense between Salah, who wants a quick restart, and Fernandes, who doesn’t. Fernandes tucks the ball into his chest. They tussle. Fernandes claims to have been whacked in the face. The referee tells them both to grow up.

Salah and Fernandes argue.
Now now, lads. Photograph: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Getty Images

Updated

GOAL! Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool (Salah 82)

United fail to clear the corner. Carvalho has a speculative whack. The ball’s again not cleared. Salah heads into the bottom right from close range, and out of nothing, Liverpool are back in it!

Mohamed Salah heads a goal.
Mohamed Salah heads home a late reply for Liverpool. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

81 min: Alexander-Arnold crosses deep from the right. Robertson returns it from the left. The ball clanks off Firmino and nearly squirts into the top left. De Gea comes across to paw out for a corner. What a save! However …

79 min: Carvalho dribbles into the United box from the left. He’s clipped lightly by Dalot but doesn’t go down. He’d have given the referee something to think about had he opted to fall.

78 min: Salah wins a corner down the right. Alexander-Arnold floats it in. Firmino heads it down, an easy claim for De Gea.

77 min: Some pinball in the United box. Salah doesn’t really compete for the loose ball. Carvalho has a whack. The ubiquitous Martinez blocks.

76 min: Rashford gets past an awfully weak Gomez challenge and glides in from the left. His shot balloons over the bar. That’s abysmal from Gomez.

75 min: Alexander-Arnold rolls a pass down the inside-right channel for Salah, who tees up Firmino for a shot that’s blocked. Then the flag pings up for offside. Every Liverpool face crumples in frustration. It’s been that sort of night. It’s been that sort of season so far.

74 min: Fernandes is booked for a fairly obvious dive over Robertson’s leg after miscontrolling in the Liverpool box. He has the good grace not to argue, smiling wryly.

Bruno Fernandes dives.
tsk tsk, Bruno. Photograph: Paul Currie/Shutterstock

Updated

73 min: Fred’s first act is to ease Elliott off the ball, shepherding it out for a goal kick. Milner then departs for Carvalho.

71 min: Fred comes on for Sancho.

70 min: Van Dijk, who has been awful this evening, tries to bump his personal marks up with a creamy diagonal pass down the right for Alexander-Arnold. He attempts the spectacular with a first-time volleyed cross. Goal kick.

68 min: Alisson chips the ball carelessly out for a throw near the dugouts. Klopp takes the opportunity to catch it and give his team some beneficial advice. He’s beyond livid now. Liverpool’s players are lucky the journey home is short.

67 min: Salah’s dribble earns Liverpool a corner down the right. Robertson hits it deep. Fabinho wins a header and sends it down towards the bottom left. De Gea flops on the ball without fuss.

65 min: Salah slips Elliott into the United box down the right. Elliott shanks his shot across the face of goal, then the flag goes up. Sky flash up a stat that tells much of tonight’s story: United have made 106 sprints to Liverpool’s 62. Klopp’s side are being hoist by their own petard.

63 min: Salah, who has been nigh-on invisible all evening, tries a shot from distance. It’s blocked with ease by the sensational Martinez. Then Firmino has an air shot. And then Salah clanks a simple pass towards Diaz out for a goal kick. This is getting mighty embarrassing for Liverpool. A different sort of embarrassment to the one United suffered in this fixture last season, but an embarrassment nonetheless.

whoops.
whoops. Photograph: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Getty Images

Updated

61 min: Liverpool are being out-run, out-battled and out-pressed all across the pitch. “Football is a game of imponderables and mystery,” writes Adam Roberts. “Who could have predicted that dropping Harry Maguire for a World Cup winner would improve the defence with a knock-on effect for the rest of the team?”

59 min: Henderson is replaced by Fabinho. If nothing else, this performance gives Klopp some leverage in his attempt to get a new midfielder before the transfer window shuts.

58 min: Rashford swings a diagonal pass towards Fernandes on the right. He nearly sends his man clear. Alisson reads the danger and claims on the edge of his box, just in time.

57 min: The corner eventually leads to Varane juggling the ball on the penalty spot (!) with his back to goal, then teeing up the re-energised Rashford, who curls through a thicket of players towards the bottom right. He’s denied by Alisson’s brilliant fingertip save. United are doing a proper number on Liverpool here.

55 min: Rashford terrorised Alexander-Arnold here four years ago, and he’s been tasked by Ten Hag to do it again, having been switched to the left for this second half. Only a last-ditch tackle by the Liverpool full-back – who is on a booking, remember – stops him tearing clear again, at the expense of a corner.

54 min: There’s a check for VAR, but Rashford wasn’t offside. Another roar as the goal is confirmed. Liverpool try to respond, Milner driving down the right and cutting back for Diaz, who can’t bundle home from six yards, Eriksen and De Gea combining to block and clear.

Marcus Rashford peels away in delight.
Marcus Rashford peels away in delight. Photograph: Dave Thompson/AP

Updated

GOAL! Manchester United 2-0 Liverpool (Rashford 53)

A loose ball in the midfield. Van Dijk is easily beaten to the ball by Martial, who spins and slips Rashford clear down the middle. Rashford strides towards the Liverpool box, draws Alisson, and slams confidently into the bottom left! Simple as that.

Rashford beats Alisson with ease.
Rashford beats Alisson with ease. Photograph: David Davies/PA

Updated

51 min: Rashford probes down the left. He claims his ball inside hits a hand, but the referee’s not interested. Then Elliott clips Malacia to the ground on the same wing. Free kick, that’s easily cleared. But that’s a good response to Liverpool’s fast start to the second half.

49 min: … but Liverpool come back at United, Elliott taking a shot from the right of the D. It’s deflected, and eventually Liverpool get a corner … from which Salah carelessly volleys miles over the bar.

48 min: … but in fact it’s Robertson who swings it in deep. United clear it easily enough.

47 min: Already there’s a sense of Liverpool picking up the tempo. Milner draws a foul from Martinez on the right touchline. They load the box as Alexander-Arnold comes across to take the free kick.

Jordan Henderson leaps for the ball.
Jordan Henderson leaps for the ball. Photograph: John Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty Images

Updated

46 min: Liverpool are quickly on the front foot. Salah drives down the right, then spreads the play to Elliott and Milner, the latter having a whack that’s blocked.

United, who are kicking towards the Stretford End now, get the second half underway. They’ve made a change at the break: on comes Martial for Elanga. A tactical change. Martial enjoyed a good pre-season before getting injured.

Half-time viewing.

Half-time postbag. “Nine days are a long time in football. Huge credit to ETH. Man Utd look outstanding. They’re fighting for every single ball. Every time L’pool attack, there are two red shirts on him. Also, Martinez has been the best player on the pitch. He’s throwing himself at everything. Impressive stuff” – Steven Grundy.

“I think Mane’s departure makes all the difference to this Liverpool side. Without all that talent and pressure up forward, an already oft-exposed defence is exposed further” – Matthew Richman.

“I really do like all the new data analytics that have come to football, but I do feel a little behind. For instance, is there a stat for ‘Stand there like a statue while Sancho tees it up on the penalty spot’? – Kevin Simons.

“The cliche isn’t quite right is it? This is a game of one half - Manchester United’s left and Liverpool’s right” – Gary Naylor.

HALF TIME: Manchester United 1-0 Liverpool

A very good half for Erik ten Hag comes to an end. Not such a good one for Liverpool. Or Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Maguire, come to that. Dalot, Fernandees and Martrinez surround the referee to moan about something, presumably Dalot’s yellow card. Klopp sprints off to deliver his bollocking.

45 min: Van Dijk gives Alisson a hospital backpass. The keeper blooters clear. Diaz chases the clearance down the left. Dalot comes across and scythes him down. A booking. Nothing comes of the resulting free kick.

43 min: Rashford goes on a drive down the right. He’s blocked out of it. Liverpool counter, Elliott wedging a cute pass down the left channel for Robertson, who wins another Liverpool corner. Nothing comes of that, but Liverpool, having been all over the shop for so long, won’t want to hear the half-time whistle now.

41 min: Alexander-Arnold swans down the right and crosses low for Firmino, who tees up Salah. His shot is blocked by the sliding Martinez. The resulting corner, swung in long from the right, is met by Milner, who heads back across goal. Fernandes, two yards out, slices backwards. The ball’s heading in, but slams Martinez, standing on the line, on the chest. United clear in farcical fashion! Ah, there’s the old United. We’ve missed you.

Bruno Fernandes attacks his own net.
Bruno Fernandes attacks his own net. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

Updated

39 min: The suspended Darwin Nunez, pictured in the stand, has the good grace to look extremely sheepish. Penny also for the thoughts of United’s deposed stars. “Can dropping Ronaldo and Maguire make Man U this much better?” wonders Mary Waltz, “Or is Liverpool this poor, because Man U looks nothing like the first two matches?”

37 min: Elliott tries to release Milner down the right, and nearly does so, but Martinez waltzes across, intercepts, and swans off with the ball. Milner, still on a rolling boil, a bain-marie of belligerence, attempts a sly nick to Martinez’s ankle, but swishes thin air. He really needs to simmer down. He looks in the mood to do something daft.

35 min: … so having said that, they put together their best flowing move so far, half the team involved as they ping triangles from left to right, Salah eventually teeing up Elliott, whose first-time shot is blocked at source by Martinez. Better from Liverpool, though the bar hasn’t been set very high.

34 min: Liverpool could do with Thiago right now. He’d calm things down. They could do with Sadio Mane as well, but that’s a different conversation altogether.

33 min: Liverpool have enjoyed 83 percent of possession during the last 15 minutes. It somehow doesn’t feel like that. They’re collectively very skittish.

31 min: Alexander-Arnold’s corner is cleared easily. The ball is worked back to him. He swings it in with vicious pace, but there’s nobody at the far stick to take advantage. The ball sails harmlessly out, and the denizens of Old Trafford are enjoying this very much.

30 min: Elliott makes his way down the right and lays off to Henderson, who switches play to Robertson. Diaz is slipped into the area, and reaches the byline, winning Liverpool’s first corner of the match.

28 min: Henderson presses Fernandes and steals the ball near the United box. Liverpool work the ball right to Salah. He scoops a pullback to Henderson, who shoots first time but doesn’t connect properly, the ball harmlessly bouncing through to De Gea. The United keeper has had very little to do so far.

27 min: Varane goes into the book for a crude check on Diaz, who had just spun Dalot and was away down the left.

26 min: Eriksen curls a magnificent free kick across Alisson and towards the top left. It’s going in, but Alisson fingertips around the post spectacularly. Nothing comes of the corner.

Alisson at full stretch.
Alisson at full stretch. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

25 min: Alexander-Arnold goes into the book this time, as he’s panicked into a trip on the in-flight Elanga. He’s well on top in this particular battle. Shades of Rashford v Trent during United’s last win over Liverpool at Old Trafford, a 2-1 victory in March 2018.

23 min: Elliott tries to release Milner down the right but overhits the pass, which flies straight out of play. Milner again with the hot seethe.

22 min: Gomez shanks a simple pass towards Salah on the right straight out of play. Liverpool need to take a couple of deep breaths. They’re all over the shop! United have seriously rattled them. “We are far too slow in midfield,” opines Richard McGahey. “Milner—Hendo—Elliott is not a midfield that can contend for a title. Pool made big mistake not bringing in more players, especially midfield.”

20 min: Elanga rolls a pass down the right towards Rashford, who has his shot blocked on the edge of the box. On Sky, Jamie Carragher refers to the last match Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez played together: Aston Villa 7-2 Liverpool.

19 min: Take nothing away from the quality of United’s play, though. What a lovely move, and that was one heck of a finish by Sancho. Liverpool try to respond, Diaz and Elliott one-twoing on the edge of the D, the former curling a shot wide right.

Jadon Sancho finished a fine move.
Jadon Sancho finished a fine move. Photograph: David Davies/PA

Updated

18 min: Alexander-Arnold was nowhere to be seen then … and neither was Van Dijk, who cops the mother of all bollockings from Milner, who gets right up in his grille and only just stops short of repeatedly prodding the big defender in the chest. He is fuming. Liverpool’s defence have been all over the shop from the get-go, and Milner has decided to say what’s what. Trouble at mill in the Liverpool camp.

GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Liverpool (Sancho 16)

Jadon Sancho’s cool finish gives the Red Devils the advantage.
Jadon Sancho’s cool finish gives the Red Devils the advantage. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

What a goal this is! Malacia plays a one-two with Eriksen and enters the box down the left. He pulls back for Sancho, who shapes to shoot into the bottom right, but dummies, places Milner on his backside, and slots into the bottom left! No more than United deserve! Not sure why Van Dijk, standing between Sancho and Alisson, made no attempt to step forward and close the United striker down, mind.

Updated

15 min: Van Dijk sprays a pass towards Salah on the right. Salah eases past Malacia and nearly works space for a shot, but lays off to Firmino instead. Varane comes across to block before Firmino can get a shot away.

14 min: Alexander-Arnold brushes Elanga off the ball and creams a long pass down the right, intended for Salah. Malacia intercepts with United otherwise light at the back.

12 min: United wouldn’t have been flattered by an early lead at all. They’ve started magnificently. Liverpool respond by stroking the ball around the back, hoping to take a little wind out of the United sail.

10 min: United hit the post! McTominay slips a pass down the inside right for Fernandes, who slides and hooks the ball away from Gomez and Van Dijk, and into the centre for Elanga. He’s one on one with Alisson! He beats the keeper, sweeping towards the bottom-right corner … but the ball caroms off the post and away. Liverpool so close to conceding the first goal for their seventh game in a row!

Elanga angles his shot onto the post.
Elanga angles his shot onto the post. Photograph: Paul Currie/REX/Shutterstock

Updated

9 min: Dalot comes sliding into the back of Diaz out on the left touchline. Just a free kick, and now it’s Dalot’s turn to be fortunate to avoid a booking.

8 min: Eriksen’s free kick, from the left-hand corner of the Liverpool box, is deflected over for a corner on the right. Malacia hits the corner far too long, and it’s easily dealt with by Henderson and Alisson. But this has been a bright start by United. They’ve flown out of the traps.

7 min: Elanga embarks on his first run down the left. Alexander-Arnold sticks out a toe to win that battle. But the full-back then loses out to Rashford, who barges him off the ball and races back down the flank. Alexander-Arnold cynically trips Rashford just before he enters the box. A free kick, but no booking, surprisingly.

5 min: Diaz rolls a pass down the inside-left channel for Milner, who nearly finds space in the box to shoot, but is soon crowded out by a combination of Varane and Martinez. Milner falls over, and wants a corner, but it’s another goal kick.

4 min: McTominay slips a ball down the middle and nearly releases Rashford on goal. Van Dijk comes across to put a stop to the United striker’s gallop.

3 min: There’s a rare old atmosphere in Old Trafford, by the way. Both teams snapping into the tackles, the ball pinballing around all over the shop. A new uptempo United!

Bruno Fernandes gets stuck in to Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Bruno Fernandes gets stuck in to Trent Alexander-Arnold. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

Updated

2 min: The first goal kick for United, and De Gea belts it long. The scars from that evening in Brentford still evident.

1 min: Martinez leaves his calling card on Salah, clattering into the back of the Liverpool attacker. The crowd enjoyed that one. So did Salah, to be fair, who springs up grinning.

Klopp and ten Hag enjoy a very friendly embrace. Plenty of smiling, laughing and back slapping. You didn’t get this in the days of Fergie and Rafa. Anyway, that was then and this is now … and Liverpool get the ball rolling. They’ll be kicking towards the Stretford End during this first half.

Casemiro is greeted by his new colleague.
Casemiro is greeted by his new colleague. Photograph: Peter Powell/EPA

Casemiro, the cement between the stones, is announced to Old Trafford. After applauding the Stretford End, he comes over to the touchline and embraces Sky pundit Roy Keane. There’s a brutalism joke somewhere in there, but I can’t tease it out. Anyway, to a blast of This Is The One, the teams emerge from the tunnel. United wear their famous red, white and black, while Liverpool’s shirts look like the eyeballs of a cartoon character who’s just licked a toad. We’ll be off in a minute!

Updated

Erik ten Hag, who has made some big calls this evening in dropping both his star turn and club captain, has his say. “We know Liverpool are a really good team and you need to press them. You have to do that out of a block and need a lot of energy in transition, that is why we went with Rashford, Sancho, Elanga.” That’s Ronaldo coming off the bench to score a 90th-minute winner, then. Ten Hag also describes Casemiro as “the cement between the stones.”

Updated

Jurgen Klopp has named a very young bench, necessity being the mother of invention. A shot across FSG’s bows, in the wake of his admission that, in an ideal world, one in which he has control of the purse strings, another midfielder before the transfer window closes would be nice? Fabio Carvalho is 19, while Dutch defender Sepp van den Berg is 20. Both have a period in the Championship under their belt, with Fulham and Preston respectively. However, winger Bobby Clark and defensive midfielder Stefan Bajcetic are mere pups, straight out of the academy at 17, though both are highly regarded, and Bajcetic enjoyed a good pre-season with the first-team squad.

The protest march organised by The 1958 has begun. A fine turnout striding towards Old Trafford … and an unequivocal message.

Updated

Jurgen Klopp talks to Sky Sports. “[The injury-dispensing witch at the training ground] is not completely gone, because Naby Keita is out. But the team we could line up today, I like a lot, and we have a couple of good options to change. The rest is very exciting and young, but it’s the situation, it’s all good, we are in a good shape.”

Manchester United make four changes to the side routed at Brentford nine days ago. Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Fred are all benched, with Anthony Elanga, Raphael Varane, Tyrell Malacia and Scott McTominay taking their places.

Liverpool make three changes to the side held at Anfield by Crystal Palace last week. Darwin Nunez is suspended after putting the head on Joachim Andersen, so in comes Roberto Firmino. Jordan Henderson and Joe Gomez replace Fabinho and Nat Phillips.

The teams

Manchester United: de Gea, Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Malacia, Eriksen, McTominay, Elanga, Bruno Fernandes, Sancho, Rashford.
Subs: Maguire, Ronaldo, Martial, Fred, Heaton, Shaw, Wan-Bissaka, van de Beek, Garnacho.

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Milner, Henderson, Elliott, Salah, Firmino, Diaz.
Subs: Fabinho, Adrian, Tsimikas, Carvalho, Clark, Bajcetic, Phillips, van den Berg, Davies.

Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland).

Casemiro in the house. The United hierarchy may be hoping that the unveiling of their new £350,000-a-week star midfielder tonight will take the edge off a little. Good luck with that.

He’s here!
He’s here! Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

Some more background on why the Manchester United fans are mutinous. Here’s our man David Conn writing last year, in the wake of a previous protest that lead to this fixture’s postponement …

… and a deep dive into the financial machinations from the ever-excellent Swiss Ramble blog.

Updated

United fans v Glazers. A video explainer courtesy of Jamie Jackson.

Preamble

A couple of big showdowns in Manchester tonight. First up, the Manchester United fanbase face down the Glazers. Wine for the troops, they march at 7pm BST.

Later on, the Manchester United football team welcome Liverpool. It’s a fixture that never requires hype, even if it often fails to live up to expectations – hey, we don’t write these rules – but given Liverpool’s slow start, United’s dismal one, the 0-5 scoreline last season, United’s 4-0 friendly win last month, the possible unveiling of Casemiro, and the generally revolutionary mood around Old Trafford, this could be an evening to remember, one way or another. Kick off is at 8pm. It, in so very many different ways, is on.

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