🌡 Hot Take! Man Utd will end Liverpool's 1000 day unbeaten run | OneFootball

Liverpool have not tasted defeat at Anfield in the Premier League since losing to Crystal Palace on 23 April 2017.

It has been exactly 1000 days.

In the meantime, they’ve played 51 league games in front of the Kop. They’ve won 41, drawn 10, scored 132 and conceded just 29 times.

But Manchester United have what it takes to stun them.

Having held Jürgen Klopp’s side to a draw (and deservedly so) back in October, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his players can go one better this time around.

Liverpool will push and press and squeeze as they look to dominate their old rivals. The problem for them is, it’ll play right into United’s hands, just as it did when they beat Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium just over two months ago.

On that day, the key to their win was moving the ball quickly when they won it back and stretching City on the break. United cut through over and over again in the first half an hour, earning a two-goal lead.

With Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Daniel James streaking away, United are perfectly built to counterattack. Mason Greenwood is a match-winner in waiting.

If Solskjaer’s men play make the right decisions when they get on the ball at Anfield, if they don’t lose their heads, they could hurt the hosts.

Expect Rashford, if fit, to exploit the space that Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves behind him as he bombs forward to create. Or Mason Greenwood, should he come into the team. Look out for Martial stretching the centre-backs. See if James can test Andy Robertson one-on-one.

If there’s one team in the Premier League perfectly suited to the unique and seemingly impossible task of winning at Anfield, it’s this otherwise disappointing Manchester United.

For all their critics they aren’t bad at the back either. Summer signings Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have both impressed, helping United concede the second fewest expected goals in the Premier League so far this season (20.7 to Liverpool’s 20.8, per fbref.com).

Only David de Gea has let the backline down. But would anyone bet against the chances of him pulling out a vintage performance? Like at Arsenal in 2017?

On his day, he’s still one of very few goalkeepers in the world that can win a team a game they deserve to take nothing from. United fans know that better than anyone.

Granted, United were poor in recent big games against Arsenal and then Manchester City in the EFL Cup. But their record against the so-called Big Six remains excellent under Solskjaer, who is yet to lost to Klopp and Liverpool. And they have already beaten Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham this season.

They are also uniquely stocked to deal with some of Liverpool’s biggest threats. Wan-Bissaka and his incredible ability to not be beaten on the run is ideal up against Sadio Mané. Fred can match the energy of the Liverpool midfielders.

Maguire (who missed the recent 3-1 defeat to City) will be crucial in organising the defence and dealing with set pieces – Liverpool’s 29 goals from corners and free-kicks since the start of last season is the most in the Premier League.

Liverpool are set to match United’s 20 top flight English titles, reclaiming that infamous perch that Sir Alex Ferguson worked so hard to knock them off.

But United can take Liverpool’s unbeaten run at Anfield and hopes of an unbeaten league season down with them.