Currently the champions-elect and unbeaten in the Premier League, Liverpool do not have to avenge any defeats through their first 21 matchdays. Jurgen Klopp's side, though, will not lack for motivation at Anfield on Sunday when they host the only club to take a point off them this term, eternal rivals Manchester United, reports AP.
It is a matter of "when" and not "if" Liverpool will secure their first Premier League title in club history and first league title in 30 years since winning the First Division in 1990. The six-time European champions also have set a new standard in first-division football among the top five countries - England, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany -- by accumulating 61 points through their first 21 matches.
Liverpool (20-1-0), who are 14 points clear of reigning two-time champions Manchester City with a match in hand, laid claim to that record-setting mark with a 1-0 disposal of Tottenham Hotspur on Jan. 11 for their 12th league victory on the trot.
Roberto Firmino continued his stellar goal-scoring run with the match's lone marker on 37 minutes, and the defence was again airtight - Alisson recorded his sixth consecutive clean sheet as Liverpool have not been scored upon in 585 minutes during league play. The Merseysiders last conceded Dec. 4 when Everton's Richarlison scored in first-half stoppage time in the Liverpool's 5-2 derby triumph.
Much like getting up for a derby rival requires little motivation, the same can be said for Liverpool when facing United. The lack of a title in the Premier League era as United grew in stature with Sir Alex Ferguson has long been a sore point among Reds supporters, and after coming this close last term while being pipped by United's "noisy neighbours" City, Klopp is confident his club will provide their best effort.
"We know about how important it is to our supporters," Klopp noted at his Friday news conference.
"But I hope people understand it, it's like we play against Everton, it's like an add-on for them. … But we said it long ago, I said it long ago, we have to write our own history.
"That means we have to play the games our way and that's what we try. So, very, very important game. We have to make it more likely that we are at our best in a game like this. For this, you have to treat it it like you treat all very, very important games for us."
In the case of the rich getting richer, Klopp confirmed centre back Joel Matip and central midfielder Fabinho are available for selection after being sidelined with injuries. It remains to be seen if the Liverpool gaffer will prefer Matip to his current pairing of Joe Gomez with talisman Virgil Van Dijk, while Fabinho provides depth in the midfield with Naby Keita and James Milner confirmed absences.
Liverpool's 38-match unbeaten streak (33-5-0) is the third-longest in the Premier League era, but Manchester United knows a thing or two about ending such lengthy spells. United ended the only other two longer runs, stopping Chelsea's at 40 in 2005 and Arsenal's record 49-match stretch in 2004.
This Manchester United (9-7-6), however, bears little resemblance to the Ferguson sides who lorded over the Premier League for so many seasons.
Their fifth-place standing entering the match is tempered by the staggering 27-point gap between themselves and Liverpool, which is more than double the distance between themselves and the drop (13) entering this weekend's play.
Additionally, United's 34-point haul through 22 matches is their worst run of form since Liverpool's 1989-90 title-winning campaign.
What United do have, though, are a group of pacy attackers who can give Liverpool's back four all sorts of fits - especially if wide backs Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold get caught out bombing forward too often. Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, and Mason Greenwood have combined for 39 goals in all competitions, which is actually more than Liverpool's trident of Firmino, Mohamed Salah, and Sadio
Mane (36).
