Team News: Manchester United vs Liverpool - Mata to keep place?

The Premier League's fiercest rivalry resumes today with Manchester United aiming to march on in the league and dent Liverpool's title hopes in the process (full match preview).

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed the news that all Manchester United fans wanted to hear on Friday, that there was a chance both Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial may return to contention for the visit of Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Both players missed the FA Cup victory over Chelsea last time out having sustained injuries in the Champions League defeat to PSG, but both will be hopeful of making the squad at the very least.

If neither are fit to play then the Red Devils may well be unchanged from their win at Stamford Bridge, meaning former Blues Juan Mata and Romelu Lukaku would keep their places in the side.

It’s fair to say that Juan has had a significantly better impact on results than the other this season, with United having suffered just one of five league defeats this season when the Spaniard has started. Moreover, the side’s win rate increases by more than ten per cent (63.6) with the 30-year-old in the starting lineup, having won a modest eight of 15 league matches when the playmaker has been left out.

It’s a different story for Lukaku, who has ended up on the winning side in just five of 14 league starts this season, while his teammates have gone on to secure all three points in ten of the 12 matches that the Belgian has not been named in the XI.

By contrast, neither Martial or Lingard have had any great impact on results this season in terms of ratios with and without either, so while Solskjaer may be keen to rush at least one back into action, he may be wise to keep Mata in the starting lineup this time around.

As far as Liverpool are concerned there is no news on the injury front besides what has been known for some time. Dejan Lovren will continue to miss out, along with long-term absentees Joe Gomez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, but Sheridan Shaqiri should be back to full fitness.

The big boost for the visitors is the return of Virgil van Dijk, who will be well rested after a fortnight without a game having missed the Champions League stalemate with Bayern due to injury. Elsewhere should captain Jordan Henderson keep his place it would be his 300th Premier League appearance and 400th in all competitions in his club career.