Manchester United host Liverpool at Old Trafford on Saturday to renew hostilities between the fiercest of rivals.
The two are separated by just two points, sit second and third in the Premier League but are both some way off runaway leaders Manchester City.
Here, we take a look at some of the key facts and statistics ahead of the mouthwatering clash:
– This will be the 170th meeting in league competition between these sides – Manchester United have won 67 to Liverpool’s 55 (47 draws).
– Liverpool have lost more league matches against Manchester United than they have vs any other side in their history (67).
– Two of the last three league meetings between these sides have ended goalless – just one of the previous 49 between them in the top-flight had failed to produce a goal.
– The last three league meetings between the sides have ended level; they’ve never drawn four consecutively against each other in league competition, last drawing three in a row in February 1921.
– Mohamed Salah has scored in each of his last five Premier League games; only Daniel Sturridge (eight in February 2014) and Michael Owen (six in April 2003) have scored in more consecutive matches for Liverpool in the competition.
– Romelu Lukaku has scored 99 Premier League goals; if he scores in this game he’ll be the fifth youngest player to reach 100 in the competition, and the second player to score his milestone goal against Liverpool (after Harry Kane earlier this season).
Manchester United frontman Romelu Lukaku.
– However, Lukaku has scored just 16 goals in 64 Premier League games against ‘big six’ sides (0.3 per game), compared to 83 in 150 against the rest (0.6 per game).
– Manchester United have won 10 of their last 13 Premier League home games against Liverpool, losing in 2008/09 and 2013/14, and drawing last season.
– However, only Man City and Chelsea (six each) have won more Premier League games away at Old Trafford than Liverpool (five).
– This fixture has seen 16 red cards in the Premier League – only the Merseyside derby has produced more in the competition (21).
– No side has scored more away league goals in the big five European leagues this season than Liverpool (34, level with Lyon).
– Manchester United have won three of their seven games against fellow ‘big six’ sides in the Premier League this season (W3 D1 L3), one more than they managed in the whole of last season (W2 D4 L4).
– Meanwhile, Liverpool have won just one point from nine available on the road in these games this season (W0 D1 L2), conceding 12 goals. Previously under Jurgen Klopp, they’d been unbeaten in away ‘big six’ matches (W4 D4 L0), conceding just nine goals.
– Jose Mourinho has won only one of his eight meetings in all competitions with Jurgen Klopp (D4 L3), with his Real Madrid side beating Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in a Champions League semi-final second leg match (still lost 3-4 on aggregate).
– Indeed, against Klopp, Mourinho has his lowest win rate against a manager of those he’s faced at least five times (12.5 percent).
