Premiership
Old Trafford
Sunday, 23 March; KO: 13:30 BST


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Premiership Table:


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As Sir Alex famously once said, it's squeeky bum time.
Matches don't come much bigger than this, and with Chelsea entertaining Arsenal also on Sunday,
it could be a decisive weekend in the title race.


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FORM GUIDE





Quote:

18 Mar v Bolton (h) WON 2-0 (Prem) 15 Mar v Derby (a) WON 1-0 (Prem) 08 Mar v Portsmouth (h) LOST 0-1 (FA Cup) 04 Mar v Lyon (h) WON 1-0 (CL) 01 Mar v Fulham (a) WON 3-0 (Prem) 23 Feb v Newcastle (a) WON 5-1 (Prem)

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Quote:

15 Mar v Reading (h) WON 2-1 (Prem) 11 Mar v Internazionale (a) WON 1-0 (CL) 08 Mar v Newcastle (h) WON 3-0 (Prem) 05 Mar v West Ham (h) WON 4-0 (Prem) 02 Mar v Bolton (a) WON 3-1 (Prem) 23 Feb v Middlesbrough (h) WON 3-2 (Prem)

Easter is traditionally the time of the season when titles are won and lost, and on Sunday, the ‘Big Four’ in the Premier League
all meet in what is sure to be a day that sorts the men from the boys in this year’s championship race.

The day kicks off early in the afternoon when the two most successful clubs in English football history meet at


Old Trafford

in a game that is always keenly contested.

Only a few miles separate Liverpool and United geographically, but this season the Red Devils are once again enjoying superiority
over their major rivals in the League.

Yet, it is Liverpool though who are the form side, having won seven consecutive games since there embarrassing exit from the FA Cup
at the hands of Barnsley.

The Reds have found some form since manager Rafa Benitez settled on his first choice line-up, where the excellent
Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso sit in front of the back four, allowing Steven Gerrard the freedom to support
in-form Fernando Torres in attack.

Benitez has come in for some unfair criticism this season, with much of the media expecting his side
to become champions despite spending considerably less than United in the summer.

This game is a chance for Liverpool to finally get one over there local rivals, having never beaten United since Benitez became manager in 2004.



Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand is set to miss out again with a back injury but keeper Edwin Van der Sar could return after a back injury.

Gerard Pique may continue in place of Ferdinand while striker Louis Saha is expected to shake off a knock.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has no new injury worries so he could field the same side that beat Reading.

However, he could opt to use the experienced John Arne Riise in midfield ahead of Ryan Babel.




(from):


Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Foster
Hargreaves, Pique, Brown, Vidic, Evra, Ferdinand, O'Shea
Ronaldo, Fletcher, Anderson, Nani, Giggs, Park, Carrick, Scholes,
Saha, Tevez, Rooney




(from):


Reina, Arbeloa, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Skrtel, Aurelio, Riise, Babel, Benayoun, Alonso, Gerrard, Mascherano, Lucas, Pennant, Itandje, Voronin, Crouch, Kuyt, Torres,




Quote:

Originally Posted by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson: "The Liverpool game brings out a certain anticipation in players. It's a game all the players want to play in. "You can't avoid the intensity of it - the tension, the atmosphere. "If we play to our form we will have a good chance against anyone. We hope we can continue our form and get the result we want."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez: "There is no special plan for dealing with Cristiano Ronaldo. "United also have Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and the rest. If you concentrated on just Ronaldo you would lose control of the others. "It is not about stopping Ronaldo. United must think, no doubt, about stopping Fernando Torres. Ronaldo is in form, but Torres is also in form."

Stage Set For



Torres

&


Ronaldo


The game is also a chance for United to extend there lead at the top of the league, and despite not finding their best form in recent weeks,
they will be confident of continuing their excellent recent record against Liverpool.

United have been solid rather than spectacular in recent games, and with Ronaldo in their team
as long as they keep it tight at the back they will always get goals.

United won the earlier fixture this season at Anfield through a goal from Carlos Tevez, but Alex Ferguson’s
were quite lucky to take all three points that day despite managing to keep Fernando Torres quiet.

Rio Ferdinand is a doubt for United, and Ferguson will be hoping that the England centre back will be fit because he has the pace to cope with Torres.

If Ferdinand is missing, Torres will fancy his chances of adding to his fantastic run of form - the Spanish forward has hit nine goals
in his last six appearances, and has become the first Liverpool player since Robbie Fowler
to score more than 20 goals in a season.

Torres is closing in of Ronaldo at the top of the scorer’s charts, and whichever of these in form players produces on the day could ensure
the three points for his side.

Elsewhere, however, both sides are brimming with quality - the midfield battle between Mascherano, Gerrard and Alonso on one side and
Anderson, Hargreaves and Scholes on the other will be fascinating.

Both sides will be quite content with a share of the spoils, so long as the later kick-off between Chelsea and Arsenal ends all square, however a win for United and they will be closing in on their 10th Premier League crown.

If Liverpool can take maximum points and Chelsea fail to beat Arsenal, The Reds could start to target a 3rd place finish, but for now they will be happy to see off the thread of Mersey rivals Everton and finish in the top four.

The stage has been set, and the biggest day in the Premier League this season should begin with a riveting and passionate tussle
between these two heavyweights of the English game.



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BIG-MATCH FACTS



Arch enemies Manchester United and Liverpool clash at the Theatre of Dreams, with the Red Devils
seeking a fifth league victory on the bounce and the Merseysiders, a sixth.

United have 11 more points than Liverpool, and have forged a three-point cushion between themselves at the summit,
and Arsenal courtesy of Wednesday's 2-0 home win over Bolton.
With eight to play, they're now in pole position to win a 10th Premier League title.

It's crunch time for Liverpool, with the Merseyside derby home to Everton, following hot on the heels of this.
Both clubs vying for that fourth Champions League qualifying berth.
Then Liverpool face Arsenal in three successive matches in the league and the Champions League quarter-finals.

Liverpool are looking for their 50th league victory over Manchester United in the 150th clash between the two;
all but the first four were in the top-flight.



CLUB FORM:

Club stats
Fixtures

Club stats
Fixtures

KEY PLAYER NOTES








Cristiano RONALDO

is Manchester United's top scorer with 33 goals; the highest ever in one season by a winger in the clubs' history.


RONALDO is also their leading Premier League marksman with 24 from 24 starts, and is leading the race for the Barclays Golden Boot.

Wayne ROONEY needs one goal to total 50 in the Premier League for Manchester United.

If on the field from the outset:-

ROONEY will make his 150th career league start (Everton and Manchester United).

Chris EAGLES will be making his 50th club league start (Manchester United, Watford and Sheffield Wednesday).

Long term injury, Gary NEVILLE will be making his 350th Premier League start for Manchester United.









Fernando TORRES

is Liverpool's top scorer with 27 goals, and their leading marksman in the Premier League with 20.

TORRES has become only the second player to score at least 20 Premier League goals for Liverpool in a season.
Robbie Fowler scored 25 in 1994-95, and 28 in 1995-96.

Goalkeeper Jose REINA is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one
of Liverpool's Premier League matches this season.

REINA leads the race for the Barclays Golden Glove going into this batch of Premier League fixtures, having kept 14 clean sheets.

HEAD TO HEAD

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Scholes 39

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Ferdinand 66

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Tevez 43

• 　　一位超胖女球迷，因为到老特拉福德看她心爱的曼联比赛被球场的十字旋转门卡住，因此决心减肥。2年后，她终于减去了接近102公斤的重量，可以舒服地到现场看球……

   胖子  进球吧！！！