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the big one

Liverpool vs Manchester United team news and preview: Paul Pogba left out for visitors, James Milner absent for hosts

The latest instalment of English football's most historic rivalry takes place with the two clubs 16 points apart in the league table

Liverpool welcome Manchester United to Anfield on Sunday looking to move back to the top of the Premier League.

Jurgen Klopp's team are on cloud nine at the moment - they have yet to be beaten in the top-flight this season and this week moved into the knockout stages of the Champions League.

 Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp go head-to-head
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Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp go head-to-head

The visitors, on the other hand, continue to underwhelm and their 2-1 defeat at Valencia in midweek was just the latest in a number of disappointing episodes this season.

Jose Mourinho's side are a whopping 16 points off the pace in the league, languishing in sixth place, with their title hopes effectively over before they even began.

However, with United on 20 league titles and Liverpool on 18, the Red Devils will be out to spoil the party.

What the managers are saying

Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool): “Manchester United never ever show a lack of ambition. Mourinho is the most successful manager in the world and that’s how it is.

"I’ve never been interested in the points of Manchester United. I’m aware of the criticism but we switch off because there’s a lot of quality, speed and technique and they have pretty much everything.

“[David De Gea] in goal. [Marcus] Rashford and [Romelu] Lukaku, [Jesse] Lingard too are unbelievable. We don’t judge the points they have, just the quality.”

Jose Mourinho (Man United):

"Of course, they are very confident about themselves.

"They are top of the league, they have this feeling of - I know that feeling well - the feeling of the lucky ones where everything goes in your direction.

"They know how they beat Everton, they know that the last match, the opening goal was offside, and they know that against Napoli in the last seconds they could be out.

"They have this feeling that I also had when my teams were top of the league and it looks like everything goes in your direction."

Team news

The big news once again involves Paul Pogba - with the midfielder left out of the United starting line up.

The World Cup winner is on the bench along with Anthony Martial and Juan Mata while Diogo Dalot, Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof have all been passed fit to start.

 Paul Pogba failed to impose himself upon the game in Valencia
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Paul Pogba failed to impose himself upon the game in Valencia

Liverpool defenders Joel Matip (collarbone) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (foot) joined Joe Gomez (leg) on the Reds' ever-growing injury list during the victory over Napoli and miss out for the hosts, as does James Milner (muscle problem).

Nathaniel Clyne comes in for his first Premier League appearance of the season after recovering from injury, while Sadio Mane also returns to the starting line-up at the expense of Xherdan Shaqiri.

Confirmed line-ups

Liverpool: Alisson; Clyne, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Keita, Mane, Salah, Firmino. Subs: Mignolet, Moreno, Camacho, Lallana, Henderson, Shaqiri, Sturridge.

Man United: De Gea; Dalot, Bailly, Lindelof, Darmian, Herrera, Matic, Rashford, Lingard, Young, Lukaku. Subs: Romero, Bailly, Pogba, Mata, Martial, Valencia, Fellaini.