Tomorrow brings Liverpool at Manchester United, one of the biggest “circle the date” fixtures on the annual calendar. Yesterday brought news that this season’s second Manchester Derby, in which United will host Manchester City, has been rescheduled for April 24. With both of United’s biggest rivals top of mind, it’s the perfect time to revisit the “which is the bigger rivalry?” argument.
Forward Marcus Rashford, who scored twice when Liverpool visited United last season, has picked a lane on this issue.
“For me I would say Liverpool,” the native Mancunian said in an interview with Sky Sports. “I think growing up that’s always been the game that everyone’s got their eyes on.”
“City obviously is a big game as well but on a personal note I would say you get more thrill out of beating Liverpool.”
Although Manchester City are the reigning Premier League champs, following up last year’s record smashing season by making a legitimate run at a quadruple this term, they have only really been relevant for the past decade or so. Meanwhile Liverpool have been on relatively equal footing with United for a much longer period of time.
So what Rashford said makes perfect sense, and it’s a stance that club legend Paul Scholes agrees with.
Yesterday brought a great fitness boost for Marcus Rashford and United, as interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said both Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard could feature in this one.
Liverpool at Manchester United FC FYIs
Injury Report for both sides: go to this link
Kick-off: Sunday February 24, Old Trafford, 205 pm (BST), 805 am (CST)
Manager press conference videos, quotes: go to this link
Starting XI Predictions: United Liverpool
Odds via Betfair: Liverpool 13/10, Draw 5/2, United 2/1
Google Result Probability: Liverpool win 41%, Draw 27%, Manchester United win 32%
Prediction: United 1, Liverpool 1
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.