“I think United will...": Michael Owen's prediction for Manchester United vs. Liverpool

Michael Owen says Liverpool will be held to a draw by Manchester United ahead of their much-anticipated clash at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

Three of the last five meetings between the two sides have ended in draws, with two of them ending goalless. Each side has won one of the last five games and so the only thing to separate them is their Premier League form this season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men are 13 points above an injury-ravaged Liverpool, who have been unable to defend their Premier League crown this season.

Owen, writing in his column for BetVictor, said: “Both these sides played out a 0-0 draw at Anfield earlier in the season.

“That was followed by another close encounter in the FA Cup, a game United won 3-2, so I believe we could be in for another tight match here.

“I think United will happily give Liverpool some territory here in the hope they can catch them on the counter. To some degree, I think this can work, although it will be hard to keep Liverpool out playing like this over the full 90 minutes.

“With that in mind, I could see this one ending all square with both sides cancelling each other out.”

Unfortunately, I can see Liverpool on the end of a hiding tomorrow.

The Reds may well be without Nathaniel Phillips and with Ole's side coming off the back of a ridiculous 6-2 win over AS Roma in the Europa League, I feel as though they could be part of a similar scoreline when the Reds visit.

Jurgen Klopp needs to find a way to inspire his players to victory over Manchester United if they're to have any chance of making an unlikely return to the top four before the end of the season.

Chelsea are four points above Liverpool but have a punishing final five games of the Premier League season. They face Fulham this weekend before Manchester City, Arsenal, Leicester City and Aston Villa meet them in the following four games.

West Ham are one point above Liverpool but if the Reds can't manage to win one more point than the Hammers, they truly don't deserve to be competing among Europe's best next season.

David Moyes' men have been terrific this season and would be deserving of a place in the Champions League but as Thiago said after two points were dropped against Newcastle last weekend, “be in the Champions League we have to deserve it.”

Currently, Liverpool don't deserve to be in the Champions League next season. Dropping four points in the last two games when West Ham and Chelsea have dropped points themselves is unforgivable.

The Anfield side should not be in the position they are but they have nobody to blame but themselves.

And VAR - I'll never forget the calls made at the start of 2021.