Today’s Premier League action brings you arguably the greatest fixture English football has to offer; Liverpool vs Manchester United in a 2.05pm kickoff at Anfield.
Indeed, the northwest rivals may not necessarily be the dominant institutions of old, but this fixture still has the broadest global reach of any in the Premier League and rarely disappoints – their last six encounters have seen two red cards and a whopping 18 goals.
Today’s installment of the northwest derby feels like a particularly important one. A home win will see the Reds draw level with the visitors in the Premier League table and potentially cost under-fire United manager Louis van Gaal his job, whilst three points for the Red Devils could thrust them back into the title race.
So with history often tending to repeat itself in the Premier League, perhaps some of the pre-game stats can shed some light on who’ll come out on top this afternoon. Here are eight Football Fancast see as crucial to today’s match.
MAN UNITED DOMINATE THIS FIXTURE
Manchester United have won six of their last eight Premier League meetings with Liverpool (L2) and two of the last four at Anfield (W2 D1 L1).
EXPECT A RED CARD
Only Everton v Liverpool (20) has seen more red cards than this fixture in Premier League history (16).
And a penalty
Only Liverpool v Spurs (19) has seen more penalties awarded in Premier League history than this fixture (18).
JUAN MATA – DANGER MAN
Juan Mata has scored three goals and assisted four more in his last six Premier League appearances against Liverpool.
Klopp and LVG have some history
Louis van Gaal inflicted Klopp’s biggest defeat as Dortmund manager in September 2009 when his Bayern side won 5-1 away at Signal Iduna Park.
BAD OMEN BENTEKE
Christian Benteke has scored in his last three Barclays Premier League appearances against Manchester United, but has lost two and drawn one of these three games.
WAYNE ROONEY BACK IN FORM
Wayne Rooney will be looking to score in four successive games for Manchester United for the first time since March 2012.
A HISTORIC DAY FOR WAZZA ROO?
Rooney (175 goals for Man Utd) is now level with Thierry Henry (175 for Arsenal) for the most goals for a single club in Premier League history.