Having watched the title contenders win, drop, save and salvage points on Saturday, Liverpool and Manchester United will now look to make this matchweek theirs to remember when the two teams meet at Anfield on Monday. With Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho facing each other for the first time in the Premier League, there is a lot of expectation from this match.
As the table stands at the moment, Liverpool are in fourth on 16 points, while Manchester United are seventh with 13. If Klopp's team get the better of their rivals on Monday, Liverpool will go joint top of the table with Manchester City and Arsenal. While City dropped two points at Everton in their match on Saturday, Arsenal went level with Pep Guardiola's team with a 3-2 win over Swansea.
The fact that Liverpool can go level on points at the top of the table will be a big motivator, and if they continue their recent form, where goals have come aplenty, that top place could very well be theirs.
"It's a very important game for us," Liverpool midfielder Emre Can told the club's official website. "I think you have to forget the games before.
"Of course, you have to take the confidence from the games, but a derby against Manchester United is always different. We are confident enough to say that we want to win the game and we will give our best to win the game."
While Liverpool have been one of the more impressive teams this season, Manchester United have blown hot and cold. With Jose Mourinho still searching for his best starting XI, United look very much like a work in progress. Come Monday, though, everything will have to fall in place, because if Manchester United are not at their absolute best, Liverpool will come up trumps.
Manchester United will also know the team that play with the right intensity, without going over the line, will end up on the winning side.
"It's one of those games where we need to keep our emotions in check because even players who haven't been at United long know how important this fixture is," Manchester United defender Chris Smalling said. "It's about controlling our emotions and keeping all our men on the pitch. It's a game where I think you need to play to your maximum."
Premier League (EPL) schedule: Liverpool vs Manchester United.
Date: Monday, October 16.
Time: 8pm BST, 3pm ET, 12.30am IST (next day).
Venue: Anfield.
TV listings: India: Star Sports Select HD1 and Star Sports 4. UK: Sky Sports 1. USA: NBCSN. Middle East: Bein Sports Arabia 11. Australia: Optus Sport. Canada: Sportsnet World. Singapore: 102 mio Stadium. Malaysia: Astro SuperSport 3. Thailand and Indonesia: Bein Sports. South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa: SuperSport 3. Germany: DAZN. Caribbean: Flow Sports.
