Monday 17 October 2016 20:03, UK
With the Red Monday match between Liverpool and Manchester United approaching, Sky Sports News HQ reporter Vinny O'Connor took an inside look at the two squads' preparations...
"Where hearts pound. Where excitement mounts. Anfield. Where greatness happens."
Words on the outside of Anfield's famous Kop that do justice to the magnitude of the rivalry whose latest instalment will play out on Red Monday.
Jurgen Klopp chose to build up the significance of the occasion rather than play it down in his pre-match news conference, while the number of visitors to the Anfield museum and megastore on Sunday afternoon added to the air of anticipation.
But for all the cup final feel that's been generated around Liverpool's latest clash with old rivals Manchester United, their respective preparations have remained relatively straightforward.
On Saturday Liverpool's training began at 6pm and was a mixture of keeping the players ticking over with some tactical work.
Sunday's training session was scheduled to start an hour earlier with an emphasis on tactical shape, with extra time given to Adam Lallana and Georginio Wijnaldum were to be given as long as possible to prove their fitness.
Sunday evening was set aside for family and rest time with the players due back at Melwood on the morning of the game for a light training session.
After this the players and coaching staff will spend the afternoon resting up at the the team hotel before having their pre-match meal ahead of their short trip to Anfield.
For Manchester United, the weekend began with a team meeting at their AON training complex followed by training.
The meeting, which included video analysis, overran slightly so training started later than scheduled. The players started leaving for home after 1pm to rest up.
Sunday followed a similar pattern with training in the morning; the difference being the squad and management were to reconvene at the team hotel later in the day where they would spend the night.
Unlike Liverpool, United will not hold a light training session on matchday. That said, there could be a repeat of the stretching session recently witnessed in a hotel car park. Although, after a number of photographs made it on to social media, I'd imagine any session before the game will be a little less public.
Preparations away from Anfield will be rounded off by their pre-match meal at the hotel, before heading to the stadium on the team coach, which will now drop them right outside the dressing rooms from within the bowels of Liverpool's new main stand.
The days of fans greeting the players as they step off the bus at Anfield have now gone.
