One of the tightest matches in recent years?

The return of Gerrard has given everyone a lift and his presence on Saturday will give his team that extra bit of belief that they can turn their rivals over. How far along he is in terms of match fitness remains to be seen and whether he still has the explosiveness of old is a bigger question, but his general play and commitment will aid Adam and remove from his shoulders some of the creative burden. Luis Suarez has just played two qualifies for his country but such is the Uruguayans irrepressible nature he will be chomping at the bit to unleash his full powers on the United defence and continue his stunning start to the season.

For Dalglish the game offers another opportunity to pit his wits against his friend/rival and fellow Scotsman Fergie. Honours were even between the two last season, but King Kenny comes into this game with a much deeper squad. He will know better than anyone the significance of beating of United at Anfield; these are the games he will have dreamed of being a part of in his period of exile.

In terms of quality this is the most even game between the teams for two seasons. United never like losing to their bitter enemies but they will also see the game as a way to take momentum into the Manchester derby. Liverpool have picked themselves out of the doldrums and they will head into Saturday with the mind set of picking up three points to further their own ambitions. Dalglish will want to utilise the game as a stepping stone for his team rather than a way to gain bragging rights. Beating United has been a bonus in an otherwise mediocre season for the Reds for the last two years; this game represents the chance to change that perception.

This article was written by Chaitanya and is courtesy of our partner website thisisfutbol.com. Read the latest news and blogs about European Football at TiF. – ed

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