EPL (LIVE UPDATES): Liverpool, Manchester United battle for top spot

Liverpool face the real prospect of ending Sunday night in third place if they lose to Manchester United at Anfield. With seven wins and one draw from their first eight matches at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp needs his team to get back to winning ways, and what better opponents than against sworn rivals, Manchester United.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stated that this was the best time to face Liverpool – who are wobbling and without the frenetic support of their Anfield fans – and to shut up Klopp, who insinuated United have had the better rub of the green concerning being awarded penalty kicks.

Whoever wins this match will end the day in top spot on the league table.

Stats	Liverpool	Man. United
Attempted passes	11221	9049
Attempted shots	262	243
Tackles	222	256
Successful dribbles	184	181
Aerial duels won	243	270
Ground duels success	0.475	0.485
Yellow cards	16	28
Red cards	0	1
Penalties awarded	5	6
Goals scored	37	34
Goals conceded	21	24

Stay with PREMIUM TIMES on this page for Live Updates from Anfield and snippets from the other big matches across Europe.

Kick off is 5:30 p.m.

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Jurgen Klopp has pulled a surprise by naming Xherdan Shaqiri in his starting 11 and Jordan Henderson continues in a centre back role while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer opts for Fred and McTominay in front of the defence in which he has replaced Eric Bailly with Victor Lindelof while Anthony Martial if fit enough to start in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

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The Anfield stands are empty but the iconic Liverpool anthem ‘You never walk alone bellows down from the PA system. If United did not realise where they were, they now know. There is a minute’s applause in memory of Gerry Marsden

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5:30 p.m.: Kickoff

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2mins: Robertson hesitates and shoots into the side netting.

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6mins: Manchester United launch their first counterattack through Rashford. Fabinho clears the danger. #LIVMNU #EPL

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10mins: United are pressing Liverpool very high so the Reds are scrapping to have a foothold in midfield through Thiago and Wijnaldum. #LIVMNU #EPL

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14mins: Another chance for Robertson in the box but Firmino could have made a better use of the ball on the edge of the United box.
#LIVMNU #EPL

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15mins: The match ball is the first casualty of the afternoon as Thiago pauses on the ball for it to be replaced.
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16mins: Good movement by the Liverpool forwards allows Mane to set up Firmino in the box but the Brazilian’s shooting is wayward.
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17mins: Fred’s ball is an inch long which allows Robertson to wrestle the ball off Rashford. #LIVMNU #EPL

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20mins: Fernandes is struggling to get into the match as he is under close watch by Thiago.
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21mins: Shaqiri’s shot from the edge of the box is diverted for a corner, which is quickly taken and United concede another corner.
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25mins: Liverpool with 70% of the ball and United are defending with almost all their players. A little respite as Shaqiri shoots wide from all of 30 yards. #LIVMNU #EPL

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33mins: United have stilled the Liverpool surge as they make inroads into the Liverpool half. Fernandes getting on the ball now and trying to dictate the offensive strings. Shaw is brought down on the edge of the box by Shaqiri, who is shown the game’s first yellow card.
#LIVMNU #EPL

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34mins: Very close from Fernandes from the free kick. Almost a perfect shot.
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40mins: The match is now more even though Liverpool are still enjoying more of the ball but despite all that possession De Gea has not had any save to make. #LIVMNU #EPL

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42 mins: Another burst from Pogba from deep inside the United half is halted on the centre line.
#LIVMNU #EPL

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HT: Liverpool with more ball possession, 67%, and incursions into the United half but Harry Maguire has led the Manchester defence to ward off the more ambitious attacks from Klopp’s men. There have not been many incisive movements by Firmino inside the United box, allowing United to easily defend the perimeter of their box. Klopp needs a target man to occupy the central defenders and believe both Mane and Salah can create some magic from their wide starting points. United have been caught offside seven times-with some very marginal. United just need Liverpool to get one wrong in the second half to take the lead.

#LIVMNU #EPL

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2nd Half: Kickoff and there are no changes at the interval. #LIVMNU #EPL

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50 mins: Relentless pressure from Liverpool on the United defence. Will the Red Devils crack?
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55mins: Tame shot from Alexander-Arnold, which is easily gathered by De Gea.
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60 mins: 67% ball possession by Liverpool in the second half but they are yet to test De Gea in goal for United. Solskjaer sends on Edinson Cavani for Anthony Martial
#LIVMNU #EPL

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62 mins: Dancing feet by Salah in the box but he is well marshalled and his shot is diverted for a corner.
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64 mins: Fernandes gets United’s first shot on target but it was straight at Alisson.
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66 mins: Cavani is tripped by Fabinho 10m outside the Liverpool box and is shown a yellow card. Rashford took control of the free kick but he hit it straight at the wall.
#LIVMNU #EPL

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71 mins: That was careless from Alexander-Arnold as he heads into touch instead of finding Alisson
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71mins: Pogba’s header is too tame to trouble Alisson. The goalkeeper launches an immediate attack with his throw.
#LIVMNU #EPL

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75 mins: Saved on the line…Alisson makes the save with his feet from a Fernandes prod.
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76 mins: Curtis Jones sent on for Shaqiri. #LIVMNU #EPL

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77 mins: Thiago goes past two United defenders and unleashes one on target but De Gea got around it and made a good save.
#LIVMNU #EPL

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80 mins: This looks like ending in a scoreless draw which will mean Liverpool have scored just one goal in their last four matches.
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81 mins: Rashford on the breakaway but the United forward is run down into a cul-de-sac and the threat fizzles out.
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83 mins: Another point-blank save from Alisson denies Pogba
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88 mins: Fernandes reluctantly trudges off to be replaced by Mason Greenwood.
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Three minutes added on.

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FT: 0-0 was a fair result as both teams did not do enough to take all three points. Manchester United will see this as improvement while this blip will be getting Klopp worried. Four games without a win and just one goal scored will be reason to begin to fret. #LIVMNU #EPL

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