Man Utd v Liverpool crucial for both Louis van Gaal and Brendan Rodgers, says Ed Chamberlin
Thursday 10 September 2015 10:24, UK
Whatever their position in the Premier League table. Whatever their predicament off the field, Manchester United against Liverpool is arguably the most eagerly anticipated fixture in the Premier League calendar and undoubtedly one of the highlights of the sporting year on Sky Sports.
Has there ever been a more important renewal in the Premier League for the two managers involved?
Louis van Gaal needs his team to bounce back after the defeat at Swansea and all the criticism he has taken for the club's dealings in the summer transfer window.
Does he start Anthony Martial? Will he bring back David de Gea? Both managers have questions to answer.
Brendan Rogers was always going to come under pressure if Liverpool had an early season setback. Well, the wheels fell off in dramatic fashion at home to West Ham two weeks ago. Rogers badly needs a response and what better place to do that than at their fierce rivals.
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Sky Bet have Liverpool chalked up at 14/5 to win at Old Trafford with Manchester United a shade of odds on at 19/20 and the draw at 12/5. Recent history points to United. They have won five of the last seven Premier League meetings with Liverpool and six of the last eight in all competitions.
What a week it's been for their skipper, Wayne Rooney. On Tuesday night he became England's all-time record goalscorer and is now on the brink of all sorts of domestic records.
His 233 Man Utd goals mean Rooney is only four behind Denis Law, who is second on the club's all-time goal scoring list. Rooney is 11/8 with Sky Bet to score on Saturday.
However, he is currently on his worst Premier League run without a goal at Man Utd (ten games). It is his joint worst ever League run without scoring - his also went ten games without a goal in his time at Everton.
Alongside Rooney, 19-year-old French forward Anthony Martial could make his Man Utd debut, just 11 days since becoming the most expensive teenager in football history and just eight after making his senior debut for France.
Martial is just one ingredient in an intriguing renewal between two of the Premier League's powerhouses. It's live on Saturday Night Football from 5pm on Sky Sports 1.
On Sunday I'm looking forward to a first trip of the season to Leicester. What a revelation they have been under Claudio Ranieri so far.
I fully expected them to struggle but Ranieri's greatest achievements seems to be changing very little as the team have picked up where they left off last season under Nigel Pearson.
Incredibly since the start of April, Leicester have the joint best record in the Premier League along with Manchester City and on Sunday could set a new club record nine Premier League games unbeaten.
Having been backed down to one of the favourites for relegation before the season, Leicester have drifted right out to 15/2 to go down. In contrast, Aston Villa have shortened in to 13/8 after a difficult start. Sunday is really important for both sides.
West Ham play Newcastle on Monday Night Football. Anyone who predicted victories for West Ham at Arsenal and Liverpool book ending home defeats to Leicester and Bournemouth should have a correct scorer/first goal scorer double - plus buy a lottery ticket.
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