The two most successful teams in English football history clash on Saturday when Manchester United host Liverpool at Old Trafford.
The list of honours the clubs have accumulated is staggering - with 37 English top-flight titles, 18 FA cups, 11 league cups and eight Champions League trophies between them, making it a genuine clash of footballing titans.
Sir Alex Ferguson's United side will be looking to keep their title push going strong, after their 3-3 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday saw them lose ground on leaders Manchester City, who they trail by two points.
The goal for Liverpool is more humble, with Kenny Dalglish's men looking to secure European football for 2012/13. At the moment Liverpool are in seventh place in the league, three points behind Newcastle United in fifth which would see them into the Europa League.
In their most recent match they drew 0-0 with Spurs at home, and in many ways it has been points dropped at home that have been the bane of the Anfield club this term.
Eight times this season Liverpool have been held to a draw at home, and while that was acceptable against United, City and their most recent foes Spurs - it is the stalemates against Sunderland, Norwich, Swansea, Blackburn and Stoke that would rile the boss.
Of most concern to Dalglish is his misfiring forward line, which has netted just 28 goals from 24 games - with only Swansea (26) less potent of the league's top 10 sides.
Andy Carroll has failed to live up to his huge price tag, netting just three league goals, with veteran Welshman Craig Bellamy the most prolific of the Anfield front men with six.
In Dalglish's favour is the relative good health of his squad, with only Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva certain to miss out with a knee injury.
Ferguson's injury list, meanwhile, is approaching epic lengths.
Nemanja Vidic is out for the season with a severe knee injury and reserve goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard will be out for the next few weeks with an ankle issue.
Anderson is still hampered by a knee problem while Darren Fletcher is battling a chronic bowel illness.
In brighter news for Ferguson, Michael Owen and Tom Cleverley are nearing returns from their respective thigh and ankle knocks while Nani and Phil Jones are also close to resuming after their ankle injuries.
1 - 0 |
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2 - 0 |
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2 - 1 |
80' L. Suárez
|
| # | Player | Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | De Gea | |
| 5 | R. Ferdinand | |
| 3 | P. Evra | |
| 6 | J. Evans | |
| 21 | Rafael | |
| 16 | M. Carrick |
 80'
|
| 25 | A. Valencia | |
| 11 | R. Giggs | |
| 22 | P. Scholes | |
| 10 | W. Rooney |
 47'
50'
|
| 19 | D. Welbeck | |
| Coach: A. Ferguson | ||
| # | Player | Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Pepe Reina | |
| 2 | G. Johnson | |
| 5 | D. Agger | |
| 37 | M. Škrtel | |
| 3 | José Enrique | |
| 19 |
S. Downing
|
44'
|
| 8 | S. Gerrard | |
| 20 |
J. Spearing
|
|
| 14 | J. Henderson | |
| 18 |
D. Kuyt
|
|
| 7 | L. Suárez |
80'
|
| Coach: K. Dalglish | ||
| # | Player | Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | ||
| 9 | ||
| 13 | ||
| 14 | ||
| 20 | ||
| 23 | ||
| 42 |
| # | Player | Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| 9 |
for J. Spearing 61' |
|
| 39 |
for S. Downing 61' |
|
| 26 |
for D. Kuyt 75' |
|
| 32 | ||
| 23 | ||
| 33 | ||
| 34 |
