The Anfield faithful will be in full voice on Sunday when a struggling Liverpool side plays host to rivals Manchester United in an important Premier League clash.
The Reds have been consistently inconsistent since the New Year, with six wins negated by six defeats.
That’s not been the case for their Northwestern foes, as the Red Devils have won 16 of their last 20 matches.
It’s all up for grabs for these two sides, and we’ll look to help you grab a bit of money on the showdown in our Liverpool vs. Manchester United picks and predictions for Sunday, March 5.
Liverpool vs Manchester United best odds
Liverpool vs Manchester United picks and predictions
While Liverpool have been solid at home this season, Anfield isn’t the impenetrable fortress it once was. They’ve claimed victory in just two of their last five in front of home supporters, with those wins both coming against teams fighting for Premier League survival.
That won’t be the case with their opponent this week. Manchester United have a setup and personnel to attack one of Liverpool’s biggest weaknesses, just like Real Madrid did in their 5-2 win at Anfield.
Marcus Rashford is in stellar form, with 17 goals and four assists in his 20 matches since returning from the World Cup, but more importantly, he gives Manchester United a very similar weapon to that employed down Real Madrid’s left flank.
Both last week and in the Champions League final last season, Liverpool’s opponent focused on exploiting the space behind Trent Alexander-Arnold. Liverpool’s best — and perhaps only — real playmaking threat from midfield spaces, the right-back loves to get forward and can put pinpoint crosses into the box for teammates.
But that leaves them exposed a bit at the back. While Virgil van Dijk has been able to pick up some of the slack, he’s not had the best partners alongside him in Joel Matip and Joe Gomez. The return of Ibrahim Konate helps, but it can often be a difficult existence with both Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson bombing forward.
Among Manchester United players, only Wayne Rooney has more Premier League goals against Liverpool than Rashford. He scored his fifth against the rivals in Man United’s 2-1 win back on Matchday 3 and will put pressure on Liverpool all match long – especially on the counter-attack.
The Red Devils have lost away just four times this year in all competitions, and have claimed victory in 10 of their 17 matches. Two of those defeats were at Arsenal and Manchester City, but Casemiro wasn’t present for either. When he’s on the pitch, Man United are a different team. He will be out there on Sunday, and he will have a fully rested back line behind him as players like Raphael Varane and Luke Shaw got much-needed breaks midweek.
That’s why I’m backing Manchester United to get the win on Sunday. They’re in outstanding form, they’re healthy, and they’re full of confidence.
More importantly, they’re set up to take advantage of Liverpool’s biggest weakness and have the players to handle the home side’s talented attacking trio. The Red Devils also have the personnel to dominate Liverpool’s struggling midfield.
My best bet: Manchester United moneyline (+185 at DraftKings)
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Liverpool vs Manchester United side analysis
Liverpool will be without Thiago once again in this match, although they did welcome back forward Diogo Jota last week. Either he or Cody Gakpo will start up top with Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah, who scored Liverpool’s lone goal in the earlier match. But it’s the back line where Liverpool will be focused, having kept four straight clean sheets in Premier League play.
Manchester United will see the return of numerous starters after heavy rotation against West Ham. Casemiro’s suspension in league play is over, and Luke Shaw should be fine after dealing with an injury last weekend. Manchester United, like Liverpool, are unbeaten in their last four in the league, with three wins in that span.
We’ve already picked Man United to win on the 3-way line, but Liverpool are slightly favored with plus-odds for those who wish to back them.
Liverpool vs Manchester United Over/Under analysis
The total of 2.5 in this contest is a tricky one. The Over is the favorite among the public at the moment, with juice pushing it to a range near -150, but it’s not a guarantee that we will see three goals as we did in the first meeting.
Liverpool have kept four clean sheets in a row in league play, and while that’s somewhat due to the competition played it’s worth noting. Those four matches have also gone Under, as have five of their last six in the league.
It’s different for the Red Devils. Nine of their last 12 Premier League matches have gone Over 2.5 goals, but only one of their last four away have done so. One key factor has been Man United’s ability to score multiple goals, having done so now in five straight Premier League outings.
Just two of the last five meetings at Anfield have gone Over, but each of their last five in domestic competitions have seen at least three goals with a combined 23 goals in that span. That’s why if I were to play the total, despite Liverpool’s improved defense of late, I’d lean on the Over.
Liverpool vs Manchester United game info
| Location: | Anfield, Liverpool, England |
| Date: | Sunday, March 5, 2023 |
| Time: | 11:30 a.m. ET |
| TV: | USA Network |
Liverpool vs Manchester United key injuries
Liverpool: Thiago Alcantara M (Out), Luis Diaz F (Out), Naby Keita M (Questionable), Joe Gomez D (Out).
Manchester United: Christian Eriksen M (Out), Anthony Martial F (Out), Donny van de Beek M (Out).
Liverpool vs Manchester United recent form
| Teams | Last five matches |
|---|---|
 Liverpool |
D-L-L-W-W |
 Manchester United |
L-D-W-W-W |
Liverpool vs Manchester United weather
It’ll be a wet and cold day in Liverpool on Sunday. Temperatures at kickoff will be in the mid-30s, and there’s a strong chance of rain in the mid-afternoon. It could clear up prior to kickoff, but the chance persists into the evening. Wind gusts of up to 24 mph could also cause some problems.
