Editor’s note: Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Tuesday’s match against Liverpool, the club has confirmed.
Liverpool vs. Man United Odds
| Liverpool Odds | -250 |
| Man United Odds | +650 |
| Draw | +425 |
| Over/Under | 3.5 (+130 / -185) |
| Day | Time | Tuesday | 3 p.m. ET |
| How To Watch | USA Network | fuboTV |
| Odds updated as of Tuesday afternoon via BetMGM. Get up-to-the-minute soccer odds here. | |
One of the world's biggest rivalries will be played Tuesday when Liverpool hosts Manchester United in a huge Premier League showdown at Anfield.
The fixture comes at a crucial time for both clubs, with both seeking to accomplish different domestic goals. For the Reds, their eyes are on a league title with seven games to play. Liverpool sits just a point behind league leaders Manchester City in the table.
As for the Red Devils, they were given a lifeline in the race for the top four as Tottenham and Arsenal both lost at the weekend. United now resides in fifth place, just three points back of Spurs in the tight standings.
It should be noted the incredibly sad news that came out Monday when star Cristiano Ronaldo announced the death on his baby boy, which puts his availability in question for the fixture.
Liverpool Lacking Results Against Top Sides
Listen, I'm not going to write about how Liverpool has performed poorly against the best EPL sides, but its results in these fixtures might actually be the reason it doesn't win the title if the club does fall short.
Consistency is one of the most killer things that can happen to a team contending for a certain spot, and Liverpool has drawn five of its six games against fellow top-five teams this season. Of course, the lone victory came in its 5-0 demolition of United.
It's particularly disappointing for Liverpool because it has performed well in those games, but the results just haven't been there. The Reds have amassed a 3.21 expected-goal differential across the games, with xG edges in three fixtures.
The two games where Liverpool had a minute negative xGDiff came against Manchester City, and the last contest was against Tottenham, when Liverpool played in the middle of a COVID-19 outbreak inside the club against a team that was coming off of a lengthy break.
For comparison's sake, United has lost three of its six games against top-five sides on the year, but in the two wins it gutted out against Tottenham account for six points. And an added draw against Chelsea means the Red Devils secured seven points in that group of games against Liverpool's eight points.
That doesn't mean that we should expect the result to be similar in Anfield, and in fact, my takeaway from these numbers is quite opposite. Particularly considering how well Liverpool has been playing, it's probably near its peak level right now, so the side will be extremely confident ahead of this tie.
Manchester United Sitting in Dire Position
Even considering the recent form of Arsenal and Tottenham, qualifying for the top four is going to take a Herculean effort from United.
Manager Ralf Rangnick's team has won two of eight games across all competitions, with those results featuring a loss to Everton and draws against Watford and Leicester City. United almost dropped points from a 2-0 lead against Norwich City — the league's worst team — this past weekend.
Matches against at Liverpool and Arsenal, plus a home clash against Chelsea, are still on the slate, so it's going to be incredibly tough to generate wins. It's no surprise United is listed as a +700 underdog to qualify for the top four.
Nonetheless, the Red Devils have been handed chance after chance by their competitors, so a push for a Champions League position is there for the taking if they can reverse the course of its form to a substantial degree.
BJ Cunningham's EPL Projections
Betting Analysis & Pick
It would be incredibly bold to think United had a quality chance of coming out of this game with a point or more, with the odds reflecting that position.
Expecting the Red Devils to put up a big fight might not be the craziest thing in the world, but these teams aren't in the same stratosphere right now. Liverpool hasn't been beaten in the league since the start of 2022, while United has lost three games during that span.
Even worse for United, this game is being played in an impossible location for visitors. Liverpool hasn't been beaten in the league at Anfield this year, and its 1.78 xG/game differential at home is just .02 xG short of Man City for best in the English top flight.
On the other hand, United has a -0.12 xG/game differential on the road in the EPL and heading in a completely different direction than its most-hated rival.
That said, look for Liverpool to keep its title-chasing form alive.
Pick: Liverpool -1.25 (-115)
