Manchester United Away.
It is the first fixture looked for by many Liverpool supporters when the fixtures are released in early June – a match of unrivalled magnitude, no matter the form of either one of the teams.
The Reds have won at Old Trafford just twice in the past 10 years, both of which came when they were fully tucked into a Premier League title charge.
It would not matter if United were runaway leaders, or if they were several points adrift at the bottom of the table ahead of Sunday’s match – they are going to turn up regardless.
Last season showed that, when many expected Liverpool to cruise to victory and carry on their pursuit of the league title, but came away with a share of the spoils.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a mountain to climb. He is taking on the in-form team in the league – the European Champions – and is also facing excruciating pressure to deliver.
A Liverpool win on Sunday would almost certainly see United start to look elsewhere for managerial candidates, if they haven’t done so already.
On the other hand, Jurgen Klopp’s side come into the game with a perfect points tally.
In past articles, I have written about noticing just how much teams are putting into matches just to get a point against the Reds and Sunday will be no different.
This is the biggest game between the clubs in recent times. It is simple for Liverpool: go there, play your own game and you should come away with all three points.
Solskjaer and his backroom team will have been working overtime to try and seek a plan to take down Liverpool, but there is no doubting the gulf in class between the teams.
Season after season, I have walked out of the away end at Old Trafford disappointed, frustrated and angry that Liverpool haven’t gone there and played them off the park.
I have seen the Reds win there in the league once, back in March 2014, when Luis Suarez decimated a broken, confused United side without any identity.
Let’s hope history repeats itself this weekend and that Klopp’s men can get a season-defining win, making it nine out of nine before a trip to Genk in midweek.
Manchester City face a potential banana skin away at Crystal Palace earlier in the weekend – whisper it quietly, but Liverpool could be 11 points clear by Sunday evening, which would be an astonishing feat, considering the season hasn’t yet reached Halloween.
Up the 100% Reds.
