Manchester United v Liverpool: Back the home side to make it six wins in a row

Van Persie and Rooney have been in good goal scoring form

After a winning week last time out, Luke Moore looks north and runs the betting rule across Liverpool's visit to Old Trafford...

Manchester United v Liverpool
Sunday, 13:30
Live on Sky Sports 1

Manchester United

It's been a bizarre few weeks for Manchester United on the pitch; by anyone's standards they're playing poorly and people are falling over themselves to remark on how porous their defence looks, yet they've won five league games on the spin and are now up to a highly creditable third.

Going forward they have no problems. There are plenty of options, with lots of pace and ingenuity and even without the injured Angel Di Maria, scoring goals has been easy. Louis van Gaal's men have notched ten in their last five.

United still have injury problems though, especially at the back, and it'll be a makeshift back four (or five) that starts on Sunday. Chris Smalling, Luke Shaw and Danny Blind are definitely out, with Rafael and Phil Jones doubts.

Liverpool

Liverpool are a shadow of the side that swashbuckled their way to second in the league last season, and this trip to Old Trafford is a huge game not only in the context of their season, but also in terms of whether manager Brendan Rodgers will keep his job, long term.

After they went out of the Champions League with a whimper earlier in the week, a big defeat to bitter rivals United will be hard for the Anfield faithful to swallow, and make no mistake - pressure is mounting on Rodgers.

Daniel Sturridge isn't going to be fit for this fixture, and it's looking unlikely that Mario Balotelli, he of that famous goal at Old Trafford for Manchester City a few seasons ago, will make it back either.

Match Odds

Liverpool absolutely pumped a hapless United in this fixture last season. Steven Gerrard scored two penalties and missed another, and it was probably the most embarrassing hour and a half of ill-fated manager David Moyes' tenure.

But what does that mean when we look ahead to this game? Not a lot. Something tells me it won't be much like that this time around, and United look worth a back at a price of 1.910/11 or better. No, they've not been convincing, but they're finding ways to win, and it doesn't matter if the opposition can drive a coach and horses through your defence if your opposition has no in-form or fit forwards. 

That's the case with the Reds at the moment, and so although 4.84/1 is more than generous on an away win, it's hard to see them coming out of this game on top. Home win is the call.

Over/Under 2.5 Goals

This is a high stakes game, a derby. United are undeniably an attacking team first and foremost, and Liverpool have their own organisational problems at the back, resulting in a constant conceding of silly goals.

United's backline is also highly generous, and so this game is likely to go over the 2.5 goals threshold and 1.875/6 isn't a bad price, all things considered. 2.021/1 is available on Unders.

To Score

Wayne Rooney is in great form at the moment, and was unlucky to not get on the score sheet against Southampton. What's more, Robin van Persie is finally starting to hit his straps under Van Gaal; he looks to have shaken off his injury problems and could be entering a rich vein of goal scoring form.

If United are going to win this game, and I think they will, it is likely to be down to goals from either or both of these two forwards. I wouldn't put you off backing either of them to score at any time at around 2.89/5 or better.

Recommended Bet
Back Manchester United to win at 1.910/11

Luke Moore Premier League P/L 2014-15

Staked: 37pts
Returned: 34.43pts
P/L: -2.57pts