LVG

United welcome the visit of bitter rivals Liverpool to Old Trafford this afternoon having now put together a run of five consecutive wins. A 2-1 victory at St Mary’s on Monday evening ensured the Reds moved back into the top three after an injury-ravaged opening to the season.

In truth, besides the three points it’s hard to take too many positives away from night’s lacklustre performance. Luck was more than on United’s side – during another rope-a-dope performance akin to that at the Emirates just weeks ago – as two opportunities were gifted to Robin Van Persie – who to his credit executed a calmness we have seen begin to creep back into the Dutchman’s game – while at the other end, Saints squandered numerous chances to put the game to bed.

The less said about the Southampton game the better though really, three points were earned and momentum maintained in a fixture which, on paper would always cause problems. Today though, it’s a completely different animal. For all of United’s struggles to get out of first gear at St Mary’s, motivation should never be found wanting when the scousers visit.

Rodgers’ side will come to Old Trafford vulnerable, reeling from suffering an early Champions League exit midweek and managing a pitiful two victories from their previous nine fixtures in all competitions.

Victories for City and Chelsea on Saturday leave United trailing the top two by eight and 11 points respectively and failure to take maximum points could see a top two finish become an even more ambitious prospect than it already appears to be.

Chris Smalling was the latest injury victim at St Mary’s which will likely see Jonny Evans return to the starting eleven, while Phil Jones and Rafael could also be available for selection once more. Paddy McNair’s early withdrawal in that game will likely see the youngster at best reduced to a spot on the bench, but impressive showings otherwise from the Northern Irishman shouldn’t rule him out of contention for indefinitely while injuries persist.

Angel Di Maria is a confirmed absentee after failing to shake off a hamstring injury and so Ander Herrera and Juan Mata will be expected to provide the creative spark in midfield. Herrera was introduced from the bench on Monday as van Gaal reverted to 5-3-2 once more, a formation yet to used at Old Trafford. With this in mind it’s likely that the 4-4-2 diamond will be deployed once again with the Spaniard slotting in alongside Fellaini, with Carrick again protecting the back four.

Radamel Falcao’s lengthy absence from the starting eleven looks set to continue, with the Colombian failing to get off the bench at St Mary’s for anything besides a warm-up on Monday evening.

Like United, Rodgers’ side have looked vulnerable at the back this season, with big money signing Dejan Lovren – to name just one – unable to fulfill his hefty price tag. With Robin van Persie back among the goals, he certainly will be looking to expose any signs of weakness in the Liverpool backline.

Mario Balotelli could return from a six-game layoff, while Adam Lallana should be available for selection despite two cracked ribs.

It’s a very different animal we’re seeing on Merseyside this season after a freak campaign last year saw them mount a serious title challenge before a late slip-up (couldn’t resist) towards the business end. With their best player from that side now residing in sunny Catalonia, new signings have failed to shine, most notably Balotelli who has contributed just two goals for the Anfield side – neither of which have come in the Premier League.

Despite mixed fortunes on Merseyside this season, like United, their players will certainly be well up for this game, with much more than just three points on the line. It does however seem like a very good time to tackle our bitterest rivals. Cast your mind back to last season, and March in particular when United suffered an embarrassing 3-0 home defeat. There was an air of inevitability that day of how events would unfold, as David Moyes side floundered in unfamiliar territory of 7th place, having already lost at Anfield earlier in the season.

The contrast in feeling couldn’t be any greater this time around. Now with Louis van Gaal at the helm, United have a manager whom we can be proud of, and one who is undoubtedly taking the club in the right direction again after the turmoil in which we found ourselves in during the summer. Van Gaal has instilled a new kind of belief in the team as evidenced by a sustained run of victories of late, despite an abnormal amount on injuries to contend with. This belief enables the team to one again show that they can win ugly, much like in the Ferguson era, that even when performances aren’t quite up to scratch, they can find enough to take them over the line. For example, it’s hard to imagine that a David Moyes side could earned a point at St Mary’s on Monday, let alone hang on for all three.

With the holiday season now in full swing, five victories in succession have begun to spread plenty of festive cheer around Old Trafford, but not more than the perfect gift of victory over the scousers can bring.

Prediction: With the teams experiencing contrasting fortunes of late, plenty of pressure lies on Brendan Rodgers, and while his side will enter the match as heavy underdogs they will be aware they have a big point to prove. Despite their poor recent showings, finding motivation shouldn’t be an issue for either side, so expect a hard fought, competitive battle, but the momentum United have earned from their recent run makes it hard to see past a sixth straight win. With two league defeats inflicted at the hands of our old adversaries last season, revenge will be high on the agenda for those players who suffered last season, while the new boys I’m sure will have suitably filled in to just how important a game of this magnitude is to the fans.  2-1 United.

Probable line-up: De Gea, Valencia, Evans, Rojo, Young, Carrick, Fellaini, Herrera, Mata, Rooney, Van Persie