BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty

"Some brave calls from Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers in his team to face Manchester United - particularly the decision to finally drop goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, who has had a desperately poor season. The courage of the call comes in the timing, namely a visit to Manchester United. A big test for deputy Brad Jones.

"Raheem Sterling looks set to be used as the point of Liverpool's attack with Rickie Lambert dropped and Mario Balotelli on the bench after a hamstring injury. Lucas, who has been used to add stability in midfield recently, gives way as the more creative Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho come in.

"One of those days when a manager will be totally judged by his team selection."

MOTD2 Extra
BBC Sport

Sports writer Ollie Holt: "You would you expect goals. None of the Liverpool players have played that well this season but two who have excited me are Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho. They have got real quality going forward. And the United line-up is there to score goals. There won't be any clean sheets today."

Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given: "Brendan Rodgers has gone for the smaller and quicker strikers up front, but I'm still shocked by Simon Mignolet being dropped. Maybe three or four weeks ago there might have been a case for dropping him, but he has played really well over the last few games I thought."

Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson: "Liverpool will have to go and have a real go at the two full-backs Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia - you forget that they are actually wingers."

The top four is starting to look a long way off for Liverpool though. Lose today and the Reds would remain seven points behind West Ham...

MOTD2 Extra

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy: "Brendan Rodgers has earned the right to have a bad spell because of they way he moved the club forward so quickly but he himself knows he has to do a lot better and maybe he will be questioning some of the people he brought in and looking to get more out of them.

"What will be crucial is whether the board back him in January and let him bring in another striker and give him money to spend.

"I think he has earned the right to see the season through. I don't think for one second he is under real pressure. He needs to get in the top four and if he does that, they will be OK."

MOTD2 Extra

Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given: "Manchester United didn't play well on Monday against Southampton but they still got the result. They won't catch Chelsea or Manchester United, this season is too soon for the title. But they have had a lot of injuries to deal with and I'm amazed they didn't strengthen in the summer."

Sports writer Ollie Holt: "A central point is that Louis van Gaal is having a go at former players like Gary Neville and Paul Scholes who have been critical of the club. The fact he has done that is the beginning of a circling of a wagons. Perhaps that's what they need."

Ex-Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson: "Winning games is key but it's a massive thing if you have the dynamics of the dressing room right. The relationship between players like Robin van Persie looks to be better and there is now competition for places. Would Chelsea be top if they had so many injuries like Manchester United had?"

So your manager gets the sack and you step up to temporarily take charge of a team bottom of the table, how do you fancy a trip to the champions and league leaders for your first game?

You don't? Tough.

That's what St Mirren player-coach Gary Teale has to do today. The man who fills the void left by Tommy Craig takes his side to Celtic Park and you can follow it on our live text commentary.

Former Manchester United defender Phil Neville
Football Focus

"When you start the new season on the back of the hard and long season, and it wasn't a great season for Robin van Persie fitness-wise, with just 10 days off in pre-season to recover from going really far in the World Cup, it is impossible to recover in time. That is why Robin van Persie has started the new campaign so slowly. Manchester United have spread the goals among the team this season, but if van Persie now kicks on from his performance against Southampton and scores 20-odd goals, that could take them on towards really challenging for the title."

More big team news from the home side. Teenage striker James Wilson starts. What a big game for the lad.

United: De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Evans, Young, Carrick, Fellaini, Mata, Rooney, van Persie, Wilson.

MOTD2 Extra

Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson: "Liverpool are rudderless. Brendan Rodgers is under pressure because that's the way Premier League management is. He's had to deal with Steven Gerrard on his way down and he's signed all these players and you'd expect at least three or four of them to be better. I don't want him sacked and I think he will get the time. But the biggest thing for me is that nobody in the squad is playing well. I'd be very surprised if they didn't give him more money in January."

Confirmed - Simon Mignolet is NOT in goal for Liverpool. Mario Balotelli is on the bench.

Liverpool: Jones, Skrtel, Lovren, Johnson, Moreno, Henderson, Allen, Gerrard, Coutinho, Lallana, Sterling. Subs: Mignolet, Toure, Lambert, Lucas, Can, Balotelli, Markovic

MOTD2 Extra
BBC Sport

Image source, EPA

Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson: "I'd be amazed if Simon Mignolet gets dropped. The back four keeps changing from game to game and it's impossible for the goalkeeper to develop a relationship with the defence if it keeps changing. It would be really harsh on Mignolet. Brad Jones instead? Absolutely no. Liverpool need results. You pick your best team through the next few games and see how they do."

Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given: "I'd be very surprised. Shocked in fact. He's come in for a bit of stick, but the back four and team as a unit have to take responsibility too. It's such a big position and a big game to come in for. If they had someone like Pepe Reina to step in it might not be such a big shock. But Brad Jones has not played that many Premier League games."

Sports writer Ollie Holt: "Liverpool have been so poor and so porous it makes sense in some ways but it is a big call. You ask questions about Mignolet's confidence, but he had a decent game against Basel I thought. His confidence isn't high but it isn't just about him, and dropping him won't fix their problems."

Only Chelsea (six times) have won at Old Trafford more often than Liverpool (five) in Premier League history. Will the visitors level that one up today?

Crisis? What crisis?

Manchester United go into the game in third place and on the back of five straight Premier League wins. But that doesn't tell the full story.

United won at Southampton last Monday, but not many people could tell you how. Former captain Gary Neville called the display 'laughable' and 'embarrassing', saying that United 'got away with murder.'

But they won the game. That's all that matters. Would United fans care if Louis van Gaal's side served up a poor showing today, but beat Liverpool?

As Guy Mowbray points out, there are plenty of rumours that Simon Mignolet has lost his place in the Liverpool goal today. We are also hearing whispers of a back three with Raheem Sterling as a 'false nine' up front on his own. Has Rodgers hit the reset button? We should know more in the next 10 minutes...

Guy Mowbray
MOTD2 Extra

"If Liverpool win, there's no better way to bounce back from a Champions League exit. If they lose, it ratchets the pressure on Brendan Rodgers even more. This is the game Liverpool fans want to win, perhaps more than any other. If goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is dropped, as is the rumour, that's a big call in a big game. The teams news will be very interesting."

MOTD2 Extra

Don't forget that MOTD2 Extra is on right now. You can watch at the top of your screen or on BBC One.

Arguably two of the biggest clubs in football - not just in England, across the globe.

With 38 league titles and eight European Cups between them, these two sides have forgotten more about winning than most teams will ever know.

But they are both well off the pace so far this season. United are 11 points behind leaders Chelsea, while Liverpool are as close to the relegation zone as to the top four.

So what have Chelsea and Manchester City got that these two sides haven't? What's the missing ingredient? And can either club solve the riddle in the January transfer market?

Get in touch at #bbcfootball, external, pop on to the BBC Sport Facebook page, external or BBC Sport's Google+ area., external

You can also text us on 81111 in the UK only - don't forget to say who you are and where you are texting from.

The calm before the storm. A lone groundsman strides out into an empty Old Trafford 75 minutes from kick-off. Who will leave the field with the glory later on this afternoon?

This morning we'd asked to hear your stories about the most inspirational football coaches you've played under (see 10:12) as part of a collaboration with Get Inspired, a BBC initiative that aims to increase participation in sport.

Paul, Sutton Common: Watching El Clasico early this year and my wife said: "Hey he was my PE teacher in the 1990s! He wasn't that great." I don't think Paul Clement cares do you?

James Hesford: Charlie Daze, Leeds United scout, coach and comedian, trained me through my early years in Jersey. Exceptional coach who'd keep us out there when the hail stones were bigger than the size two footballs.

Bobble: Rod Dennis at Scorpions FC. The best manager the world has seen. Legend. Inspires me still to this day!

Thanks for your entries today, as ever.

MOTD2

Tune into Match of the Day 2 Extra from 12:15 GMT on BBC One for discussion and debate. Today host Mark Chapman is joined by former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson, Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given and sports writer Ollie Holt.

Sports Personality of the Year is tonight. Have you voted? Tune in on BBC One from 20:00.

And of course later you can watch today's goals, plus all the best action from yesterday, on Match of the Day 2 from 22:45 on BBC One. But for viewers in Scotland it's on from 23:40 - after the conclusion of Sportscene.