Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (left) and goalkeeper Alisson (Richard Sellers/EMPICS Sport)

Alisson out-performing David de Gea & Jurgen Klopp’s final obstacle

Liverpool host Man United at Anfield on Sunday knowing a win will keep them top of the Premier League. Here are all the best stats and facts ahead of kick-off.

 

Tough opposition

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Saturday, March 10, 2018: Manchester United's Romelu Lukaku and Liverpool's Dejan Lovren during the FA Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Last season the sides drew 0-0 at Anfield for the second successive campaign. Should this game fail to produce a winner it will be the first time there has been a third successive league draw between the teams on this ground.

Liverpool have drawn two and lost two since their last home victory over today’s opponents, in September 2013, when Daniel Sturridge netted the only goal in the fourth minute.

However, Sturridge (pen) and Roberto Firmino did score in the 2-0 Anfield victory in the Europa League in March 2016.

In fact, in the last five home league encounters Sturridge is the only Liverpool player to score, doing so twice.

Home and away Liverpool have not beaten United in the last eight league contests, drawing three and losing five.

Liverpool have failed to score in only seven of 60 home league games under Jurgen Klopp, with United being responsible for three of those shut-outs.

 

Alisson Becker, record breaker

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, December 11, 2018: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker before the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Liverpool FC and SSC Napoli at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Alisson has now set a new club Premier League record by remaining unbeaten in his first 16 appearances for the Reds, overtaking the previous landmark set by Javier Mascherano in 2007.

The Brazilian kept his 10th clean sheet in just 16 league appearances last weekend at Bournemouth.

In doing so, he reached double figures in the second-fastest ever time by a Liverpool goalkeeper. Only Pepe Reina, who achieved the feat in just 13 games in 2005, did so in fewer matches in the club’s history.

Alisson‘s 10 league clean sheets is one more than David de Gea has kept in the whole of this calendar year.

 

Last team standing

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Saturday, March 10, 2018: Liverpool's manager Jürgen Klopp reacts during the FA Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Since taking over at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp has beaten 25 of the 26 teams he has faced in the Premier League. The exception being Manchester United.

Mo Salah has found the net against 19 of the 21 teams he has appeared against in the Premier League as a Liverpool player. He has failed to score against Swansea and…Manchester United.

 

Off the bench?

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, March 22, 2015: Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge scores the first goal against Manchester United during the Premier League match at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Ten Liverpool substitutes have scored against Manchester United in all competitions down the years. Only against Stoke (13) and Fulham (11) have they found the net more times.

Last season Liverpool substitutes scored a total of three goals in the Premier League campaign. So far this season they have already netted five in the competition.

Sturridge played his first league game for the Reds against United in January 2013, scoring as a substitute at Old Trafford in a 2-1 defeat. He has four goals in nine appearances against them.

Divock Origi made his Reds debut against United as a substitute at Old Trafford in September 2015.

 

Reds’ strong start

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 8, 2018: Liverpool's Andy Robertson celebrates scoring the third goal with team-mates during the FA Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Liverpool FC at the Vitality Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool’s tally of 42 points is the fourth-best ever start to a season (16 games) by any team in top-flight history, beaten only by Manchester City (46 points in 2017/18), Tottenham (46 in 1960/61) and Chelsea (43 in 2005/06).

Last season the Reds did not reach 42 points until the 22nd game.

Including the final day of last season, Liverpool have taken 45 points from the last 51 on offer.

The Reds have now scored as many goals in the league this season as they had at the same stage of last season (34 goals in 16 games).

 

Defence

WATFORD, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 24, 2018: Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk during the FA Premier League match between Watford FC and Liverpool FC at Vicarage Road. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The Reds have conceded six goals in 1440 minutes of league football this season. Last season in game No. 4 they conceded their sixth.

Home and away they have shipped only four goals in the last 11 in the league.

They have kept 11 clean sheets in the last 12 home league games—with only Cardiff’s Callum Paterson scoring since conceding to West Ham on 24th February.

 

Mourinho

ANN ARBOR, USA - Saturday, July 28, 2018: Manchester United's manager Jose Mourinho complains to referee Ismail Elfath, who he described as a baseball referee in his post-match press conference, during the preseason International Champions Cup match between Manchester United and Liverpool FC at the Michigan Stadium. Liverpool won 4-1. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Jose Mourinho has met Liverpool 27 times as a manager, losing on only six occasions—all with Chelsea. In those 27 games only 50 goals have been scored in total.

He has won four and lost three of 12 visits to Anfield and has not lost in his last six on this ground, with his last defeat coming in Chelsea‘s 2007 Champions League semi-final when Daniel Agger scored the only goal.

Last season’s victory at Old Trafford was the first masterminded by Mourinho against Liverpool in six attempts.

In the league against Liverpool his teams have conceded only 12 goals in 16 clashes and he has lost just twice in that time.

 

United’s season

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 10, 2016: Manchester United's Paul Pogba in action against Manchester City's Raheem Sterling during the FA Premier League match at Old Trafford. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

United have won three of eight away league games this season, beating Burnley, Watford and Bournemouth. In two of those fixtures they have finished with 10 men.

They have conceded three goals in each of their defeats on the road, at Brighton, West Ham and Manchester City.

Paul Pogba has failed to score twice from the penalty spot this season, though he did net from the rebound against Everton.

United conceded 28 goals in the whole of the 2017-18 league campaign. So far this season they have shipped 26, a total last season they did not reach until 15th April.

 

Reds vs. the ref

LONDON, ENGLAND - Friday, September 16, 2016: Referee Martin Atkinson during the FA Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The referee for this game is Martin Atkinson who was in charge of this corresponding fixture last season. He has refereed Liverpool vs. Man United clashes four times and Liverpool are yet to win.

He has officiated one Reds game this season: the goalless draw with Manchester City at Anfield in October.

 

Scorers this season

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, December 11, 2018: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the first goal during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Liverpool FC and SSC Napoli at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool: Salah 13, Mane 7, Firmino 6, Milner 5, Sturridge 4, Shaqiri 3, Alexander-Arnold 1, Matip 1, Origi 1, Wijnaldum 1, own goals 2.

Man United: Martial 8, Lukaku 6, Pogba 5, Mata 4, Rashford 4, Fellaini 2, Fred 1, Herrera 1, Lingard 1, Sanchez 1, Shaw 1, Smalling 1, Young 1, own goals 1.

More from This Is Anfield

Fan Comments