Did someone order an assist?

Mohamed Salah had "been asking for some passes and assists" from Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister in the build-up to Sunday's win over Brighton. And what Salah wants, Salah gets.

"Someone told me Mo ordered an assist," said Jurgen Klopp on Wednesday. "But I am pretty sure he tells everybody on a Monday morning!

"What I loved about this goal was how everyone was pretty much in a perfect position in the formation. It was difficult to defend and well played.

"Partnerships on the pitch are very important. We are in this position because they play well together."

Image source, Getty Images

James: Watching Chelsea and Manchester United is like watching a bitter old married couple. The glory days together are buried in the past, holding hands as they fade into mediocrity.

Image source, PA Media

Cole Palmer is Chelsea's player of the season "without any doubt", says former Blues midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who conceded that he "did not expect this type of impact" from Palmer following his move from Manchester City in September.

The 21-year-old has scored 13 goals and assisted eight more in the Premier League so far this season.

Fabregas told the BBC's Planet Premier League podcast: "I was a little bit surprised by the move. I remember I was doing the Champions League final in the summer and he was just warming up there, being one of these young players coming up, enjoying the experience, not being basically selected or looked at to feature in the game.

"And then all of a sudden - a big move to Chelsea. He starts performing at a very high level with a lot of quality and personality. He wants the ball, he makes things happen - the final pass, he scores goals. He looks to me a bit like James Maddison for Tottenham. He's that type of player that makes the team tick.

"He has this pause in him - sometimes in modern football, everything accelerates too fast and players don't understand the moment when to pass or when to move. He has the composure in him that gives time to the strikers to make their runs.

"I have to say I've been very impressed, I didn't expect this type of impact and he has been the player of the year without any doubt for Chelsea."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at Anfield

Image source, Michael Emons

It has been a tough, tough season for Sheffield United in their first campaign back in the top flight since 2020-21.

Under Paul Heckingbottom, they lost 8-0 at home to Newcastle, 5-0 at Arsenal and 5-0 at Burnley, a result that led to a change of manager with Chris Wilder returning in December.

He's had to endure some tough days too, losing 5-2, 5-0, 5-0 and 6-0 in successive home games against Brighton, Aston Villa, Brighton again and Arsenal respectively, But the Blades have shown some fight in their past two matches, only to twice throw away two-goal leads and draw against Bournemouth and Fulham.

So can they claim a memorable win at Anfield?

"We have to be the best we are, defend well, be aggressive, competitive and can't just give them the ball back," said Wilder.

"We will have to have a big night, a huge night, if we are to get a big result. We're playing at Anfield with them going for the title in front of 60,000 at a cathedral of a ground known worldwide. We have to rise to the occasion. We need a top, top performance."

Image source, Michael Emons

• Sheffield United's last league victory against Liverpool came at Anfield in April 1994.
• Liverpool have not kept a clean sheet in a home league game so far in 2024. Their last came in the 0-0 draw with Manchester United in December, nine home league games ago.
• Liverpool are five goals away from scoring 700 under Jurgen Klopp in league fixtures.
• Their unbeaten run at Anfield in the league stretches back 27 games since a 2-1 defeat to Leeds United in October 2022.
• Alexis MacAllister has been directly involved in a Liverpool goal in the last five matches, scoring two and providing four assists.
• Sheffield United's 77 goals conceded this term is only 12 short of Derby County's record in a 38-match Premier League season.
• The Blades' solitary Premier League away victory this season was 3-1 against Luton in February.

Rob: This is one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory. So much more interesting this way, instead of one team running away with it. Even as a Liverpool fan, I'd love this season to go right down to the last day. Just for sheer entertainment value, you know?

• Chelsea are winless in their past 12 Premier League games against Manchester United (D7 L5), their longest ever run without a league victory against the Red Devils.
• Manchester United have won just one of their past nine Premier League away games against London sides (D3 L5), losing four of their past six. They've lost three of their five such visits this season, last losing more in a single top-flight campaign in 1989-90 (four).
• The Blues have both scored and conceded in 19 different Premier League games this season, last doing so more often in 2019-20 (22). They've done so in each of their past seven league matches, their longest such run since a run of nine between January and April 2017.
• United have won more games (80) and have a higher win percentage (59.7%) in the month of April than any other side in Premier League history. However, they've won just one of their past seven away games in the month (D2 L4), beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 last year.
• Cole Palmer has been involved in 21 Premier League goals for Chelsea this season, scoring 13 and assisting eight. Only Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink (32 in 2000-01) and Diego Costa (23 in 2014-15) have been involved in more in their debut campaign for the Blues.

Alex Howell
BBC football news reporter at Stamford Bridge

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has just had a stroll around the centre circle, taking in the surroundings before the match this evening.

Both sides need a win to keep the pressure on the teams above them as they chase the European spots.

Joe Cole
Ex-Chelsea and England midfielder on TNT Sports

This place [Stamford Bridge] is one bad result from kicking off; during the Burnley game there was moaning.

These Chelsea fans are used to success and it doesn't look like it is going to happen anytime soon.

If United are on it and go 2-0 up, it could be a difficult night tonight for Pochettino.

Manchester United defenders Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof have both picked up muscle injuries and will be ruled out for at least a month.

Martinez has sustained a calf strain in training, having only returned from a seven-week absence with a knee injury in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Brentford.

Lindelof suffered a hamstring injury in that game and was replaced by Martinez.

Erik ten Hag's side are already without left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia through injury.

Both Martinez and Lindelof are hoping to return this season but a month-long absence would see them miss five Premier League games, including this one, and their FA Cup semi-final against Coventry.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at Anfield

Image source, Michael Emons

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp expects a "proper test" from Sheffield United at Anfield tonight.

The Blades are bottom of the table and on course for an instant return to the Championship, but Klopp said his side needed to be at the top of their game to get the win.

Writing in the matchday programme, he said: "Before this game kicks off I know exactly what the narrative will - a team from the top of the table playing a team from the bottom means the outcome is inevitable. I will say this now, this way of thinking is not for us. Not today, not tomorrow, not any other day.

"At this stage of the season I don't think we will come across any teams who are happy just to shake our hands and give us an easy pathway to the result we're hoping for. It's only a few months since we last met and one of the things that sticks in my mind is how hard we had to work for the victory.

"Under Chris Wilder, United want to compete and push teams all the way. With so much to play for, I expect them to give us a proper test tonight. Chris inherited a very difficult situation when he decided to go back to United, but it is clear they are his club and I don't think there are too many managers who could give more for their cause than he does."

Liverpool

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been speaking to TNT Sports.

On if this title race feels different: "No. One of them is Man City, when I saw them play last night you think this is a really good football team.

"I am happy with our situation and I don't think you can compare these things, a lot of things have changed since then [Liverpool's title winning season of 2019-20].

"If you start the season you hope for things like this, but it is a long journey and we want to make the final step as well."

On dealing with pressure: "Calm. I know people might not believe that, I am pretty calm. I cannot force it and it is about making sure the boys enjoy it because it's still a game.

"It is a game and it is how we play it, we have to work hard. I hope we show we want to work hard and then you cause problems for the opponent - I hope we can do that tonight."

Sheffield United

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, speaking to TNT Sports: "We have got to have a structure and we have got to enjoy the challenge ahead of us.

"I am sure that plenty of players would love to be in the position that our players are in tonight, in front of an incredible crowd."

On consecutive draws: "We have managed to nick a couple of draws after a difficult evening against a top Arsenal team [they lost 6-0 at home].

"We have got to perform tonight and bring our A-game to get anything, this is the Premier League and if you are going got get the shock result we have to be at our A-game.

"I have been a little critical regarding the substitutions we have had to make; not tactical ones, but physical ones - it is important that I freshen it up."

Image source, BBC Sport

Some Manchester United fans have got a bit angry with me when I've predicted them to lose in the past, but what happened against Brentford on Saturday summed them up.

United were on a high after beating Liverpool in the FA Cup before the international break, showing great resilience to come back and win in the manner they did.

I was thinking 'here we go' and wondering if this was another turning point with the possibility of them kicking on... and then they go and put in such an insipid performance against the Bees.

They were so flat but, when Mason Mount scored in stoppage time, it looked like they had got away with it.

This time, Brentford deservedly levelled but United have been doing this all season. They've been lucky, right from the start.

As far as this game goes, well it's anyone's guess. I keep on being wrong about Chelsea, including their 2-2 draw against Burnley on Saturday.

Cole Palmer continues to be a bright spark for the Blues but something is not right with the rest of the team. If they cannot beat Burnley at home when the Clarets are down to 10 men, then heaven help them.

All things considered, it makes this game impossible to predict. It feels like it will probably be a draw but Palmer will score so I am going to go with him to get the decider.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

The Sacked In The Morning podcast from BBC Sounds has had a sit down with former Manchester United winger Lee Sharpe this week.

Sharpe played on the night Eric Cantona was sent off moments before kicking a Crystal Palace supporter in 1995.

"We're struggling in the game at Crystal Palace," Sharpe says. "And then when he goes into the crowd and kung-fu kicks the guy, we're all thinking: 'The manager's got to absolutely nail him after this game. He can't say a word to us for playing badly. He's just nearly killed someone.'

"So we get in the dressing room. As the manager comes in, he smashes the door open - the jacket's off, shirt sleeves are up.

"We're thinking: 'Here we go, here we go.' We're all nudging each other like school kids and giggling.

"And then he starts on everyone, saying: 'Pallister - you can't head it, you can't tackle. Keaney - you've not laid a glove on anybody. Sharpe - you can't run, you can't tackle, you can't pass it. Andy Cole - you've not trapped a bag of cement all day. And Eric - you can't go around doing things like that, son.'

"And we were like: 'That's one of the best lines ever in football.' That is just absolutely outrageous. Cantona sat there, shrugged and just didn't care. It was unbelievable."

Listen to Sacked In The Morning here

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag says they are still trying to manage the fitness of England midfielder Mason Mount.

United signed Mount from today's opponents Chelsea for £55m last summer but he has managed just nine Premier League appearances so far.

"He is a fantastic football player but it is important, first, that he keeps fit because he has had three injuries," said Ten Hag. "We have to avoid that, so we have to do this very carefully.

"To keep him fit is our first objective. Secondly, we want to use him so he can add benefit and contribute to the team."

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag says players are struggling to perform at consistent levels because they are being "overloaded".

His side beat Liverpool 4-3 in the FA Cup but then struggled in a 1-1 draw with Brentford in their next game.

"The players get overloaded and can't bring the performances any more," the Dutchman said.

"We are already I think over the point of what we demand from our top players.

"You see the levels dropping with them [Manchester City against Arsenal] again, it was a different team to when we faced them.

"You can't 100% avoid this, it's impossible, it depends on certain facts. Also you have national teams and so five times a year you give the players away and you don't have any impact."