Southampton

Image source, Reuters

Two-goal hero Danny Ings said: "We knew those crosses would be dangerous, we've been working on them all week, and I was there to put them away.

"As a club we know the position we've put ourselves, and with the squad we've got it's not good enough.

"But if we keep showing resilience and hard work we can turn it round. It shows we're moving in the right direction already."

Michael Devlin: Why start Lukaku ahead of Martial? The man makes very odd decisions.

Wahl Erik: Mourinho has a brilliant record against Liverpool and I expect that to continue today to give us another special win.

Jermaine Jenas
Former England midfielder on Radio 5 live

Image source, Reuters

I love watching Ederson play. As the complete package, what he does for the side is good to watch.

David de Gea has been brilliant in recent years but this year has been his worst, he has been part of it and the back four has been making mistakes, he has been making them too.

Alisson has turned up and gone, 'what English game?' He has bedded in straight away.

I have been impressed by Kepa too, a big price tag for a young goalkeeper but he has done well.

Image source, Reuters

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has had some strong words to say about Manchester United, suggesting the players should consider not listening to manager Jose Mourinho in order to find their identity.

Read more from Martin here.

Don't panic Manchester United fans, that isn't the score (well, not yet anyway). But it is the number of Liverpool players compared to United players in your combined XI.

As you can see it is not really a combined XI at all, with Paul Pogba the Red Devils' sole representative.

Disagree with those selections? Well you can still have a go yourself here.

Image source, BBC Sport

Only seven of this XI actually start today.

Jose Mourinho should play his side THIS for some inspiration. This is how you defend...

Dulwich Hamlet somehow make six goalline clearances to deny Wingate & Finchley in an epic goalmouth scramble during their FA Trophy first-round fixture on Saturday.

Despite Dulwich Hamlet's heroics, Wingate & Finchley won the match 2-0.

Jermaine Jenas
Former England midfielder on Radio 5 live

Jose Mourinho said he might not know the tactics and philosophy going into the game - that surprises me.

The personnel do not decide the philosophy of the top teams, they have the players to operate within that. Mourinho is saying the opposite and that is a strange tactic to put out there.

That is the truth though and what people have been saying for months, nobody knows who they are, what they are, what they are trying to achieve.

When the big games came around, Mourinho used to name his teams. He will have an organised team at Anfield and makes life horrible for the opposition.

Chelsea

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea forward Eden Hazard on whether it was important to score his first goal for the club in nine games: "No. I like to score, but it’s not important for me. The most important thing is to win games. I just enjoy my football and that's why I’'m on the pitch."

On Brighton pulling a goal back: "We knew before the game that we need to score a third goal. When it’s 3-0 it’s harder for teams to get back. But we didn’t and conceded - you feel the pressure. But we managed the game well."

On keeping pace with the leaders: "We want to be top of the league at the end of the season. We know Man City and Liverpool are good teams - we don’t want the gap to be big."

On the responsibility of leading the line: "I always play with the same ability and quality. As a winger and striker I just try to enjoy my football."

It would be boring if you won every week. Right?

Actually on. I saw my team win 10 in a row a few years ago during a once in a generation title win. And it wasn't boring.

Charles Meyrick: Ah yes. The feeling of losing. Hello old friend.

Gary Flintoff
BBC Radio 5 live reporter at Anfield

Image source, Getty Images

There is plenty of booing and jeering as the Manchester United players make their way out to warm up at Anfield.

Liverpool’s players have been out for some time. Plenty of fans are staying on the concourses to keep warm and I cannot blame them. It is very cold up here on the gantry.

Ben Webb: Not sure about the statistics but it feels like Henderson normally plays and performs in these big games. He's harshly criticised by some 'fans' generally. Slightly nervous without him or Milner starting.

Ali Reza: Happy with the team other than Henderson's omission - he should be starting. I’ve said this before, but he keeps things ticking / composed in the middle of the park. He is also fully aware of the magnitude of this fixture. Over to the new signings to seize the moment.

Manchester United

• United have conceded 26 goals in 16 Premier League games this season - just two fewer than in the whole of 2017-18.
• Defeat in this match would result in United's lowest points tally after 17 Premier League fixtures.

• Manchester United trail Liverpool by 16 points, their biggest deficit before Christmas since a similar margin in 1990.
• Jose Mourinho has lost only two of his 16 Premier League matches against Liverpool - defeats with Chelsea in 2007 and 2015 (W9, D5).

Liverpool

• Liverpool's 42 points from 16 league games is their highest tally at this stage of a top-flight campaign.
• They are currently on their joint-best Premier League unbeaten run of 17 games. They have not had a better top-flight streak since going 23 matches without defeat in 1990.

• If they keep a clean sheet, Liverpool will set a top-flight record for the fewest goals conceded in the opening 17 matches of a season.
• Roberto Firmino, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane have yet to score or assist for the club in 855 Premier League minutes against Manchester United.

Could be a lonely night for Romelu Lukaku.

Jurgen Klopp makes three changes to the side which beat Bournemouth 4-0 last Saturday as Sadio Mane returns from injury to replace Xherdan Shaqiri in the starting line-up.

Dejan Lovren and Nathaniel Clyne, who makes his first Premier League start since May, both come in, while Joel Matip and James Milner drop out of the matchday squad.

Liverpool starting XI: Alisson; Clyne, Lovren, van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Firmino, Mane.

Subs: Mignolet, Moreno, Camacho, Lallana, Henderson, Shaqiri, Sturridge.

Image source, bb

Jose Mourinho makes two changes to the side which beat Fulham 4-1 last weekend, as Victor Lindelof and Matteo Darmian both start.

Phil Jones and Juan Mata, who is named on the bench, miss out, while Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial are also substitutes.

Manchester United starting XI: De Gea; Dalot, Smalling, Lindelof, Darmian; Herrera, Matic; Young, Lingard, Rashford; Lukaku.

Subs: Romero, Bailly, Pogba, Mata, Martial, Valencia, Fellaini.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has explained James Milner's absence from his matchday squad, saying: "Millie felt a muscle a little bit and we cannot take any risk, that’s it."

The German also spoke about Nathaniel Clyne's inclusion in the Reds' starting line-up.

“[He is] As ready as possible. Clyney is a high-class player,” Klopp told Liverpool's official website., external

“He didn’t play for a while, that’s true, he was injured and we had other options in the position. That’s how life sometimes is, it’s not really fair but it was the situation.

“But he trained most of the time without any complaints. In the last two to two-and-a-half weeks he had a couple of problems, but he’s available now. He’s fine. Physically he’s ready - I asked him and he said ‘yeah, the adrenaline will help’."

Danny Mills
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 live

It's massive relief for the Southampton players. To take the lead twice, be pegged back, and then to win it at the death against the run of play. Absolutely magnificent. But it wasn't perfect.

From Arsenal's perspective, this is why they're not title challengers - three headed goals, poor defending at times, and the goalkeeper was suspect on the last goal.

Peterfeet: This performance by Southampton shows what a poor manager Mark Hughes really is. Yet I suspect before the end of the season some mad desperate chairman will employ him.