Man Utd vs. Liverpool: Preview, Predictions and Lineups
The headline of Sunday's Premier League slate comes as Liverpool visit Old Trafford for a crunch meeting with Manchester United.
The Red Devils head into the game third in the standings and on the cusp of qualifying for the Champions League, knowing victory over their fierce rivals will guarantee them a spot in Europe's top competition next season.
Liverpool's position in the top five isn't quite so strong, needing favors from elsewhere to qualify for the Champions League this weekend. Victory would go a long way towards getting the job done but, with some tricky fixtures on the horizon, defeat could leave fans sweating.
Here's Sports Illustrated's preview to the latest instalment of this famous battle.
Man Utd vs. Liverpool Score Prediction
Man Utd Start the Party
This fixture used to be viewed as a title-decider, but recent slumps have left United and Liverpool looking up at those chasing silverware while they focus on qualifying for the Champions League again.
Even that is a blessing to United fans, who began the season in misery and could hardly have predicted the upturn under inexperienced interim Michael Carrick, who has won nine of his 13 games to date.
A 10th win on Sunday will be enough to get the job done for United, who have a handful of reasons to feel confident.
- Inconsistent Form: Liverpool actually head into the game on the best run of form, with three straight wins compared to two from United, but Arne Slot's side still face major issues at both ends of the field. Stronger opposition could expose those flaws.
- Home Advantage: Old Trafford is not a fortress just yet, but Carrick has things moving in the right direction. The 2–1 defeat to Leeds United last month was the first time the Red Devils have dropped points at home in 2026.
- Key Injuries: Liverpool are not at their strongest, with Alisson and Mohamed Salah two significant absentees. While United are far from full strength themselves, Carrick's squad is far fresher and they will hope to use that to their advantage.
Prediction: Man Utd 2–1 Liverpool
Man Utd Predicted Lineup vs. Liverpool
United fans will hope for the swift return of Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha, whose hip injury was described as "not too serious" by Carrick in the build-up to the game.
Lisandro Martínez still has one last game of his suspension to serve and the center back will sit on the sidelines alongside Matthijs de Ligt, whose mysterious back injury may well have already ended his season.
Left back Luke Shaw is an injury concern after picking up a problem last time out that could force him to miss out on this one.
Man Utd predicted lineup vs. Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Maguire, Mazraoui; Mainoo, Casemiro; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Šeško.
Liverpool Predicted Lineup vs. Man Utd
While Mohamed Salah is now expected back in action before the end of the season, this game comes far too soon for the injured winger.
Goalkeeper is the biggest problem position for Liverpool. Alisson and Giorgi Mamardashvili are both carrying fitness issues and could force Slot to turn to third-choice Freddie Woodman for a second game in a row.
Milos Kerkez is not believed to be fully fit, although his involvement in this one is not thought to be in danger.
Liverpool predicted lineup vs. Man Utd (4-2-3-1): Woodman; Gomez, Konaté, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Frimpong, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak.
What Time Does Man Utd vs. Liverpool Kick Off?
- Location: Manchester, England
- Stadium: Old Trafford
- Date: Sunday, May 3
- Kick-off Time: 10:30 a.m. ET / 7:30 a.m. PT / 3:30 p.m. BST
- Referee: Darren England
- VAR: Stuart Atwell
How to Watch Man Utd vs. Liverpool on TV, Live Stream
| Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
| United States | NBCSN, Peacock, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, SiriusXM FC |
| United Kingdom | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Go |
| Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network Canada |
| Mexico | Max Mexico |
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This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 5:00 PM.