Manchester United vs. Liverpool Prediction: Arch-Rivals Renew Hostilities at Old Trafford

• Manchester United have won one and lost one so far in the 2024/25 season

• Liverpool have a 100 percent record under Arne Slot in the Premier League

• The Reds have not had a great deal of success at Old Trafford of late

Manchester United vs. Liverpool Odds

The odds for Manchester United vs. Liverpool are provided by the bet365 sportsbook. Place your bets at bet365 and claim the bonus with our code WSN365: $1,000 Safety Net Bet OR $150 in Bonus Bets.

Manchester United vs. Liverpool Pick

Go for Manchester United or draw in the double chance market. Liverpool are the better team across most measures, but home advantage will make United tough to beat in the standout fixture of gameweek three.

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This Manchester United Team Is Still Hard to Figure Out

Manchester United got their season off to a bright start by beating Fulham 1-0 on opening night. That triumph may have been by a narrow margin, but United turned in a solid performance across all areas of the pitch. Unfortunately they were less convincing last time out, as a last-gasp Joao Pedro goal gave Brighton & Hove Albion a 2-1 victory over Erik ten Hag’s team.

It was a surprise when United decided to retain Ten Hag over the summer. True, he did mastermind United’s victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May. But the Red Devils were dismal in the Premier League: they finished eighth in 2023/24 and the underlying numbers suggest they were fortunate to end the campaign that high up.

United have done some decent business in the summer transfer market, bringing in the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee. However, there are still question marks over this team. Their 4-2-3-1 formation with Bruno Fernandes up front is not ideal. We could see a change in shape as soon as this weekend.

Now in his third season at Old Trafford, Ten Hag is still tinkering. An optimistic take may argue that his pragmatism and willingness to adapt are positive qualities. Yet it is still hard to work out what the underlying idea is at United. What type of team does Ten Hag want them to be? Until we know the answer to that question, it is hard to be overly positive about United.

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Arne Slot Has Got off to a Flying Start at Liverpool

Filling Jurgen Klopp’s shoes at Anfield always looked like a tough task, but Arne Slot has done a good job so far. He has paid homage to his predecessor, whose connection with the Liverpool fans is impossible to replicate, without being in awe of him. Slot has his own personality and his own soccer ideas - and we have seen both of those things already.

True, the fixture computer did the new manager a favor. Games against Ipswich Town and Brentford made for an ideal start. Slot himself acknowledged that.

“I think both of the teams, Ipswich and Brentford, deserve our respect for the way they have played against us, but I am not expecting one of the two [to be] in the top six in the upcoming season so there is still a lot to prove for us,” he said.

Even so, you can only beat what is in front of you and Liverpool have done that well, defeating both opponents 2-0. They were especially impressive against Brentford last time out.

Those two wins will have helped to boost confidence in the camp. They will have also gone some way to persuading both players and fans that Slot’s methods can bring success to the club. That is important when you are replacing an iconic manager like Klopp. 

The positive on-pitch opening has also prevented discontent being voiced with regards to Liverpool’s lack of transfer action. At the time of writing at least, the Reds have not signed a single player this summer. That is a surprise, even though the squad is already strong.

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Manchester United Tend to Raise Their Game in This Fixture

There is no doubt that Liverpool have been more successful than Manchester United over the last decade. The Red Devils have won trophies in that time, but not in the two biggest competitions. As for Liverpool, they have gone all the way in the Premier League and the Champions League since 2019.

However, the Reds have not had a huge amount of success in this particular fixture. True, they did register memorable back-to-back victories at Old Trafford in 2021, winning 4-2 and then 5-0 at the home of their chief adversary. Yet they were the only two times that Klopp triumphed away to United in any competition.

Old Trafford was a particularly unhappy hunting ground for Liverpool last time out. They lost a pulsating FA Cup tie in March, going down 4-3 to Ten Hag’s team after extra time. A few weeks later, Liverpool threw away a dominant position to draw 2-2 in the Premier League. That result was the start of a run which ultimately saw Klopp’s side drop out of the title race.

From what we have seen so far this season, Liverpool are a superior side to United. They amassed 22 more points than their rivals in 2023/24 and finished five spots higher in the standings. Almost any combined XI would see more Liverpool players selected than United ones.

Home advantage is a genuine phenomenon in sport, however, and it is predominantly for that reason that we expect United to avoid defeat in this one. Take up the home win / draw option in the double chance market.

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How to Watch Manchester United vs. Liverpool

• Teams: Manchester United vs. Liverpool

• Location: Old Trafford, Manchester, England

• Date and Time: Sunday, 1 September 2024, 11.00 AM ET 

• How to Watch: Peacock Premium