Manchester United sponsor Premier League leaders Liverpool at Old Trafford on Super Sunday in a game that can go a long way to specifying both teams seasons.
For Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and United, the chance to kickstart their effort start to a season in 30 decades. For Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool, their claim would be further strengthened by a 18th Premier League win for the name.
The fortunes of those competitions might be stark but the importance of this fixture stays, and when each manager could have their players shooting for only 1 game, it would be one.
With the injury list as long as his arm, the global fracture offered Solskjaer time to set up his team away the pitch and look for solutions after Uniteds defeat at Newcastle confirmed their worst start to a season in 30 decades.
But just as it looked players were coming into fitness and also that there was a glimmer of light in the end of the tube, the harm curse that has contributed, in part, to Uniteds slump has struck again, and at the worst possible time ahead of Premier League leaders Liverpools visit to Old Trafford.
David de Gea, the most recent inpatient into the United treatment room, pulled up in innocuous circumstances with a groin injury while on international duty with Spain, projecting huge doubt over his availability Sunday, despite Solskjaer demonstrating the injury is not as bad as initially feared.
I really dont expect him to perform , but it was not as bad as feared, that the United manager said. When I first saw the harm I thought,Thats him out before the upcoming global fracture because weve had some long-term muscle injuries.
And the news of De Geas injury was compounded by affirmation that Paul Pogba will perform no role against Liverpool, the Frenchman however to shake off this year.
It would be disingenuous to call the conclusion Solskjaer has on who deputises a selection dilemma given the pedigree of what United have in book to make.
As far as back-up goalkeepers proceed, they do not come much better or more experienced than Sergio Romero.
The World Cup finalist has never set a foot wrong in his own position as De Geas understudy and is a shoo-in ahead of Lee Grant to launch against Liverpool in the absence of Uniteds No. 1.
Luke Shaw has featured just three occasions for United this year, with the last of these appearances coming from the defeat of August to Crystal Palace.
The left-back has returned to practice following a hamstring injury that was protracted and, he is brought back into the fold, when he passes a late fitness test, although Axel Tuanzebe and Ashley Young may be favored.
A possibility is Sundays game will come too soon for Shaw, however there is no doubt that his position will be regained by Aaron Wan-Bissaka after sitting out the previous three matches with tonsillitis.
His inclusion along with Harry Maguire at centre-back isnt a given, together with the form one of few positives in United slump of Tuanzebe although victor Lindelof obtained a 90 minutes under his belt for Sweden.
Because Manchester United had the luxury of turning into Anthony Martial it has been eight long weeks. The Frenchmans thigh strain could not have come at a worse time, with Uniteds attacking choices threadbare after Romelu Lukaku along with Alexis Sanchezs summer departures.
However, Martial is to go back, serving up another question.
Daniel James has turned out on the wing in Martials absence and there is a strong case to keep using the Wales global — the biggest attacking hazard of United — in this position.
Fortunately for Solskjaer, James versatility in the attacking positions behind the lead striker make him the perfect candidate to switch flanks to adapt the returning Martial.
James could quite easily begin on the right, Martial in his preferred position on the abandoned and possibly Juan Mata from the No. 10 role behind Marcus Rashford.
Following two weeks of results and performances, plagued by screens that are attacking, Uniteds assault may seem a lot more in the mold of Solskjaer. Whether that is enough to lead to problems , however, is a different issue.
Jurgen Klopp will be expecting to have Joel Matip Alisson Becker and Mohamed Salah back from injury to the visit to Old Trafford, even though the Liverpool supervisor will give the trio provided that possible to recuperate.
Ali, Joel and Mo are looking better. How good, we will need to see. Two more sessions to come, then we have to make decisions. Nothing mended yet, he explained in Fridays press conference.
The very first call Liverpool director Jurgen Klopp should make for Sundays showdown at Old Trafford is that will start in goal for the Premier League leaders — Adrian or even Allison?
The latter hasnt featured since tearing a calf muscle in the early phases of Liverpools opening game of the season against Norwich with Adrian, on August 9 deputising to the Brazil global from the period.
The Spaniard just transferred on a free transfer in August — replacing Simon Mignolet from one horrible error against Southampton — but because Liverpools backup goalkeeper, observers have been mainly impressed by the 32-year-old with his serene authority.
In fact, Adrian has averaged 114 minutes of drama for every goal conceded, the figure for almost anykeeper at the top-flight this season.
Before this week with Alisson having returned into first-team training, however, Klopp now has a choice to make — stay loyal to the former West Ham shot-stopper, who hasnt let down his manager because being raised to the Liverpool line-up that is starting.
Or deliver #67m Brazil who FIFA voted the best goalkeeper in the world in 2019 back into the fold for a match of significance for the Premier League leaders.
Klopp also includes a choice dilemma when it comes to choosing a spouse that is centre-back for Virgil van Dijk in Old Trafford. The Netherlands had lined up throughout 2019, with the duo forming a partnership at the rear for the club.
That was until the Cameroonian picked up a knee issue in Liverpools 1-0 win at Sheffield United in September. However, Klopp received a second injury increase when Matip returned to coaching with all the participant announcing himself back to fitness and readily available for selection.
I am back in training and I will remain fit, Matip informed the clubs website. I am back in practice and I really feel great. Of course, if I am needed, I will be there.
In Matips absence, Klopp proceeded with Joe Gomez from Red Bull Salzburg, but after the Champions League holders surprisingly let in three goals against the Austrians in Anfield, the Liverpool boss chose to bring in Dejan Lovren to his first start of the season against Leicester out time.
And furthermore, the Croatian made an fantastic display as the team extended their run of consecutive league victories following a last-gasp 2-1 triumph to 17.
In particular, the way Lovren and Van Dijk dovetailed to cut the danger of the pacy striker of Leicester Jamie Vardy, who had arrived at Anfield impressed Klopp, in red-hot form.
Some people asked me (after the match ) about our defending and stated it wasnt that good, but I havent seen a team defend Vardy better than today, he said.
Apart from the situation in the second half when it turned out to be a very long ball (for Vardy) and Dejan couldnt quite get there quick enough, so I did not observe that. Dejan [Lovren] and Virgil did nicely.
So there is no guarantee Matip will walk into the team this Sunday, with there every chance Klopp will really stick with the back .
While we know that his famous 4-3-3 formation wills not change for the trip to the Theatre of Dreams that weekend, as always by Liverpool, it is this midfielder trios identity that is unknown.
Fabinho — even though traveling all of the way to Singapore with Brazil in the new global fracture — is now one of the first titles back on this Liverpool team sheet, particularly provided that the holding midfielder has to drop a Premier League game hes begun for the club.
With the German needing to choose two from James Milner, Georginio Wijnaldum along with captain Jordan Henderson but who Klopp chooses alongside Fabinho in midfield is open to discussion.
The Liverpool boss frequently bases these decisions on just how many minutes his players have recently racked up, which may mean a start for its evergreen Milner that, later filming contrary to the Foxes, was free to stay at Melwood during the international since hes now retired from England.
In contrast, Henderson and Wijnaldum both played every minute of Englands and the Netherlands respective Euro 2020 qualifiers, meaning that it could return to a telephone between the duo for that midfield berth at Old Trafford.
View Manchester United vs Liverpool live on Super Sunday from 3pm on Sky Sports Premier League; Kick-off 4.30pm.
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