Manchester United remain within five points of rivals Liverpool thanks to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's late header to earn a 1-1 draw between the two sides at Old Trafford.
The Reds took the lead shortly before the half-hour mark through James Milner, who tucked away from the penalty spot after Paul Pogba handled the ball inside the area.
United created a number of clear-cut chances, two of which fell the way of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but it took until the final 10 minutes before Ibrahimovic finally found a way through.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the meeting between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford. This is the 50th Premier League tussle between these sides, providing us with some real classics down the years, and this latest instalment will hopefully prove to be a far more livelier affair that the last of those meetings - the blandest of goalless draws earlier this season.
The visitors have yet to win in three games to kick off 2017 and have also failed to register in their last two outings - a goalless draw with Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup and a 1-0 first-leg defeat to Southampton in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup. Despite their stuttering form, the Reds are still just about on track in the Premier League and head into this match sitting five points clear of their North-West rivals in the table.
TEAM NEWS!
MANCHESTER UNITED XI: De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Darmian, Carrick, Herrera, Martial, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Ibrahimovic
LIVERPOOL XI: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Klavan, Milner, Henderson, Can, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Firmino, Origi
We will start by taking a look at the visiting side, because just 20 minutes or so ago news emerged that Joel Matip had been withdrawn from the squad entirely. The Cameroon international turned down an invite to play in the Africa Cup of Nations, meaning that there are still questions over whether he can actually play for his club side while the competition is ongoing. More on that can be found by clicking here - one way or another that is a blow for Jurgen Klopp, who otherwise makes four changes to his side.
The big news is that captain Jordan Henderson is back in the starting lineup for the first time since picking up a heel injury against Manchester City on New Year's Eve, while Trent Alexander-Arnold is also handed a place in the XI. Simon Mignolet is also between the sticks after winning back his regular starting spot from summer signing Loris Karius, and Divock Origi is named as the focal point in attack; Daniel Sturridge only deemed good enough for a place on the bench.
Klopp no doubt had hopes to have Coutinho back in his starting lineup by this point in time, but his comeback - initially scheduled for that meeting with Man City a fortnight ago - was delayed slightly and he only has one substitute appearance under his belt since. A place on the bench for the attacking midfielder, then, but there is still no Sadio Mane - away on AFCON duty - and Matip also misses out as touched upon a little earlier.
Four appears to be the magic number on this occasion, as Jose Mourinho has also made a number of alterations to his side from last time out. Anthony Martial and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are among those to come back into the starting fold, with Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini on the subs' bench, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic returns up top after missing the 2-0 win over Hull City due to a minor illness.
Skipper Wayne Rooney has to settle for a place among the subs, also, so his record-breaking goal will have to wait. The big talking points as far as United are concerned centres around those not in the squad at all - Luke Shaw, Ashley Young, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Jesse Lingard all missing out on inclusion. A couple of those are to be expected - Schweinsteiger and Fosu-Mensah - but the others, fitness permitted, will feel disappointed to be overlooked.
Marcos Rojo is also back in the team from last time out in the league; a good time to return having lost Eric Bailly to AFCON duty over the past week or so. Manchester United will therefore shape up in their now-familiar 4-3-3 system, spearheaded by Ibrahimovic who will feed off the power of Paul Pogba, while opponents Liverpool will likely line up in an identical manner; Roberto Firmino and an in-form Adam Lallana starting either side of Origi up top.
BENCH WATCH!
MANCHESTER UNITED SUBS: Romero, Blind, Smalling, Fellaini, Mata, Rashford, Rooney
LIVERPOOL SUBS: Karius, Gomez, Moreno, Stewart, Ejaria, Coutinho, Sturridge
A couple of star names missing out on the United squad altogether, then, including Memphis Depay who will surely be on his way out of the Old Trafford exit prior to the end of the month. Fellaini has impressed enough to earn himself a new deal in recent weeks, but the omission of Juan Mata from the starting lineup does come as a little surprise. In terms of the visitors, they have Sturridge - their "best striker", in the player's own words - and a not-yet-fully-fit Coutinho among their back-up options.
Not all that surprising to see Wayne Rooney on the bench this afternoon, with Jose Mourinho making four changes to his side from the EFL Cup meeting against Hull City on Wednesday evening. The Englishman could make his 450th Premier League appearance from the bench, though, requiring just one goal to usurp Sir Bobby Charlton as the club's all-time leading scorer. Liverpool, who themselves make four alterations, have Adam Lallana among their starters today - the Englishman playing a part in 14 league goals already this season.
Another huge Premier League clash at Old Trafford this afternoon, then - one of many in this season that has pitted together the world's greatest array of managerial names. Klopp vs. Mourinho is one to send shivers down the spine - might be overdoing it slightly with that one - and the outcome of this match could well be massive in deciding those top-four spots. United will have small hopes of still challenging for the title, but it is Liverpool who are the better positioned to challenge leaders Chelsea at this stage.
RESULT! The Red Devils head into this match sitting sixth in the Premier League table, three points adrift of Manchester City and five off both the Reds and Arsenal. The full-time whistle has actually just sounded in the early kickoff between Everton and the Citizens, and it is great news as far as Liverpool and United are concerned. Everton have cantered to a 4-0 win at Goodison Park, leaving Pep Guardiola's men at serious risk of dropping out of the top five come 5pm today.
A three-goal victory for United will now take them level on points and goal difference with their city rivals, but right now I'm sure Mourinho - and indeed all Red Devils fans - will take a sloppy one-goal victory today. Had City won that then the pressure would have been on United in particular to follow in suit, though another costly slip-up from the Citizens has opened things up completely in the race for the top four. It also confirms what many of us already knew - City will not win the title with their current defence; a couple of new signings badly required this month.
Mourinho himself ruled United out of the title hunt just a few weeks back, having seen Chelsea rack up win after win after win. That was before the Blues slipped up at Tottenham, though, combined with the Red Devils' own incredible run of form in all competitions. Arsenal and Liverpool have themselves dropped points over the Christmas and New Year programme, so right now it is Mourinho's men who are the side to beat, along with a rampant Tottenham.
Catching Chelsea does look likely being an impossible task at the moment, however, with the gap on the leaders standing at 13 points ahead of this game in hand. Instead, tracking down City - now in touching distance - and indeed one of Arsenal and Liverpool appears to be the target between now and May for United. There could be just three points between second and sixth should the Red Devils win today's clash at Old Trafford, putting the pressure on each team to continue winning games.
Everton's win over City makes things very interesting in that top-four battle, but the Toffees surely have no chance of closing down the top-six elite; the gap currently standing six points thanks to that impressive win earlier today. United are certainly enjoying themselves at the moment and you would fancy them to now bag a Champions League spot, having won six on the spin in the top flight. If not for that terrible and costly streak of two wins in 11 earlier this campaign - including four-successive home draws - they would be right on the heels of Chelsea.
United supporters certainly remained positive during that difficult run of form under new boss Mourinho, though, citing the improved style of play as a key factor behind why they felt the good times were about to return. It is not quite the Red Devils of old just yet, but the six-game winning run in the league - and no loss in 11, stretching back to October 23 - does at least give fans reason to feel excited once more, with Champions League football at the Theatre of Dreams next term a real possibility once more.
Overall, it is nine win in a row for United and no defeat n 15. That has lifted the Red Devils up the table and also seen them through to the knockout stages of the Europa League, into the fourth round of the FA Cup and on the brink of an EFL Cup final appearance, where they could meet today's opponents Liverpool at Wembley Stadium just over a month from now. Mourinho deserves credit for turning his side's fortunes around, with a tactical switch working wonders, while Mkhitaryan and Carrick have also added a different dimension to the side. Could he have tinkered slightly earlier than he did? Possibly, but the bottom line is lessons were learned and the Red Devils are back on track.
Jose Mourinho admitted a couple of months back that any hopes Manchester United had of winning the title were long but over, having seen his side pick up just two wins from 11 in the Premier League. A switch in formation later, and the introduction of some fringe players - namely Michael Carrick and Henrikh Mkhitaryan - and the Red Devils are now flying. Nine wins in a row in all competitions is truly stunning form, leaving them in the hunt for three trophies and a top-four finish in the Prem.
United now face games against Stoke City, Leicester City and Watford in the Premier League, before travelling to face Manchester City on February 26 - their next blockbuster fixture. There is also plenty to keep fans occupied in other competitions, too, as they face Hull City in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi, Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup fourth round, and St-Etienne in the first knockout stage round of the Europa League. A make-or-break month for United, who are currently flying following that slow start to life under Mourinho.
DID YOU KNOW? A run of nine wins in a row is Manchester United's best streak since racking up 11 between January and February 2009. The Red Devils could also win seven Premier League games on the spin for the first time since early 2013 - the final days of Sir Alex Ferguson's hugely successful tenure at the club. There is also a chance for Wayne Rooney to make history as United's highest-ever goalscorer today, of course, but he starts on the bench.
Liverpool head into this match in fourth place, then, having seen Man City fail to capitalise on kicking off early. Victory for the Reds will not only move them back within five points of leaders Chelsea, but also open up the gap on United to eight points - surely enough to fend off their great rivals. The Reds have lost just two games all season in the top flight to remain in the mix right from day one, though the 2-2 draw at strugglers Sunderland a fortnight ago was a real blow for Klopp and his men.
Klopp's side have also drawn with Plymouth, albeit fielding a second-string side - their youngest ever - and lost to Southampton in midweek. Both games will unlikely prove too decisive if they click into gear and win the reverse ties, yet it does not bode all that well for Liverpool as they are seeking a first win of 2017 at the fourth attempt. A failure to register in either of their last two outings belies what we saw earlier in the campaign, with Coutinho and Mane's absence from the side being felt at the moment. The former is back today, but only fit enough for a place on the bench.
That defeat to Southampton at St Mary's, which really should have been by a larger margin than one goal, was just Liverpool's third in all competitions across 27 goals - an impressive record that deserves plenty of praise. The Reds are unbeaten in six league games, despite the negative picture being painted by some, accruing 14 points from the last 18 on offer in recent weeks. With Chelsea and Spurs to come after this huge tussle at Old Trafford, though, it is fair to say that Klopp's charges must now find their swashbuckling form from a couple of months back.
Victory for Liverpool today would set a club record of 47 points after 21 Premier League games, surpassing the 46 from the 2008-09 season. They have not gone four winless to start off a new calendar year since 1993, either, so the omens suggest that they will put things right today. Three clean sheets away from home in the top flight this season also suggests that they will have to do things the hard way if they are to return to winning ways.
With kickoff a little over five minutes away at Old Trafford, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps...
Jose Mourinho: "I just think [me and Klopp] like to win. Everyone has his own personality, style and coaching and leading. Probably we have some similarities and other characteristics that make us different. He wants to play the game as much as I want, I am not sure if he is so calm as I am. It is one more big match."
Jurgen Klopp: "Give me 11 players and we will be competitive. I know how they players react to not-that-good performances. It is not about being confident before the game, it is about getting confidence in the game with the right kind of movements, right kind of defending."
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! This will be the 50th Premier League meeting between these two sides; Manchester United winning 27 and Liverpool 13, showing the switch in domination since the start of the Prem era a quarter of a century ago. The Reds have lost 11 of their last 14 league encounters at Old Trafford, while overall they have tasted defeat in 67 top-flight matches against United - more than any other opponent.
Both sets of players are now in the tunnel area at Old Trafford, with kickoff just a matter of moments away. Michael Oliver is the referee this afternoon, incidentally, having also taken charge of this fixture last season - a 3-1 win for United. The last time they met we witnessed a bland goalless draw, but not since 1919-20 have they played out successive 0-0 draws in the same campaign.
KICKOFF! We have just had a minute's silence for the late and great Graham Taylor - impeccably observed by both sets of supporters - and it is now time for the headline act of this Premier League weekend. Fingers crossed for a few goals!
Plenty of individual battles to keep an eye on this afternoon, particularly in midfield where it is essentially going to be five-against-five at times, with Origi and Ibrahimovic likely to remain the most advanced for their sides.
It has been a good, composed start from Liverpool in these opening five minutes or so. They have got their boot on the ball and are pressing their opponents high up the pitch when possession is lost. United just struggling to settle at the moment.
United have not been given a chance to get at Alexander-Arnold so far - the young full-back taking the place of the injured Nathaniel Clyne today, who bruised his ribs in training during the week. Milner on the other flank, but he has looked very assured since switching to a deeper role.
You'll Never Walk Alone gets its first airing at Old Trafford, soon being drowned out by United fans' own spin on the terrace anthem. Liverpool still looking the more settled in the match, as we await our first real attacking move of any note.
United very unsettled by Liverpool's pressing at the moment, with Pogba the latest to play a pass to nobody in particular. I have no idea what hairstyle the Frenchman is going for this afternoon, incidentally, but the yellow tinge matches the Reds' striking away strip.
Most exciting moment of the match yet, as Alexander-Arnold is caught out down the left-hand side. Darmian is through and eventually picks out Martial, who goes down inside the box under a challenge. No penalty, according to ref Michael Oliver.
United finding their attacking groove now, as Martial this time lofts a ball towards the back-post area. Ibrahimovic got there a tad too late, though, and was unable to bring the ball under control before it drifted out of play.
Still very little to report in terms of chances at Old Trafford. United certainly far more attacking than they were a few months back at Anfield, as expected, but they have been unable to get in behind the Liverpool backline so far.
Not exactly a chance, but a short back-pass from Lovren is pounced on by Ibrahimovic. Mignolet put his boot through it and saw the deflection end on the roof of his net. Closest either side has come to a breakthrough so far at Old Trafford.
CLOSE! Well moments after that near-miss from Ibrahimovic, United completely carved their opponents open. Mkhitaryan played the ball through for Pogba, who simply got his contact all wrong when put under some pressure and scuffed it wide.
Liverpool looked assured on the ball in the opening six or seven minutes but, that aside, it has been the hosts who have looked the brighter of the two. That Pogba chance was by far and away the best - and only, really - chance we have seen.
SHOT! Real panic at the back for the hosts, as a free kick into the box is met by the head of Lovren. It finds its way to Origi, who scuffs his attempt and sees the ball trickle through to David de Gea - a shot on goal, technically - Liverpool's first.
Alexander-Arnold with space inside the box following a sweeping pass from Can, but his shot is blocked aside by Martial. All of a sudden it is the visitors who are looking the more likely to score thanks to a couple of positive attacks.
PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL! A real let-off for United initially as, when put under some pressure by Firmino, Jones loses possession of the ball and Lallana is so nearly in on goal if not for Rojo's interception. From the corner the ball comes in and Pogba handles it when jumping up high - penalty to the visitors.
GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 0-1 LIVERPOOL (JAMES MILNER, PEN)
Milner keeps his cool, as he so often does from the penalty spot, and tucks it past David de Gea. Liverpool lead at Old Trafford, and that was all down to some poor play from Pogba; the Frenchman forgetting how to defend and simply handling the ball.
YELLOW CARD! Dejan Lovren lunges in on Martial but, crucially, wins the ball first. Only the one foot off the ground so no risk of a red card, but he did see yellow for what I can only assume was for dissent towards the man in the middle.
SAVE! Huge save from Mignolet! United win a free kick 20 yards from goal, which Ibrahimovic opts to drive on target. The ball finds its way through the wall but Mignolet read it brilliantly and was down to his right to palm it aside.
Milner has now converted each of his last 10 penalties in the Premier League, incidentally, with his latest one giving Liverpool a slender lead at Old Trafford. It has been an entertaining half on the whole; one that is now just 10 minutes from ending.
The Red Devils have been well on top since falling behind to that Milner penalty. Still just that one Ibrahimovic free kick on target so far, however, so they must create a little more if they are to peg their opponents back in the remaining time.
United playing some really good football at the moment from back to front, though Liverpool are getting the ball forward more quickly and causing some panic at the back. Lallana's curler is blocked before De Gea needed to react.
SAVE! Another top save from Mignolet, who this time denies Mkhitaryan after he was played clean through. The angle was slightly against the Armenian but you would still have backed him to get the better of the Liverpool stopper.
The hosts have played some really nice football in these opening 43 minutes, and they are also now starting to create openings. That Mkhitaryan chance was the best of the lot, coming after timing his run perfectly to remain onside, only for Mignolet to match his shot.
Mourinho has already made his way down the tunnel and into the dressing room earlier, so he is clearly not expecting a late twist in this first half. Just the one minute of added time to come, with United still seeking a leveller.
HALF TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 0-0 LIVERPOOL
Referee Michael Oliver blows for half time, bringing a close to an entertaining opening 45 minutes on the whole at Old Trafford. It took a while for the first opportunity to arise, and we saw just three shots on target in all, but it was still gripping enough and very much all to play for in the second half.
Not until a quarter of the way through the match did the first opportunity present itself to United, who almost took the lead through Zlatan Ibrahimovic's harrying - the striker closing down a slack back-pass and seeing the ball ricochet on to the roof of the net. Just a minute or so later came a glimpse of United at their finest, as Henrikh Mkhitaryan slotted the ball through for Paul Pogba to latch on to, but he scuffed his shot under pressure and the chance went begging.
Liverpool's high pressing had unsettled their opponents in the early stages of the game and, while they were struggling to create any clear-cut openings of their own, Jurgen Klopp would have been happy enough with the energy on show from his side. Even better was to come for Klopp 27 minutes in, however, with James Milner tucking away from the spot - making it 10 from his last 10 to be successfully converted - after Paul Pogba handled a cross into the box.
The Red Devils were well on top after falling behind, coming close to a near-instant response when Zlatan Ibrahimovic belted the ball on goal from a free kick for Simon Mignolet to palm away, before Mkhitaryan was also denied by the Liverpool keeper when played clean through on goal. It is the visitors who lead at the midway stage in proceedings, however, thanks to that Milner penalty.
Here is a quick reminder of the subs available to both managers. Jose Mourinho may be tempted into making a change, though he is more likely to wait until the hour mark before doing so, while opposite number Jurgen Klopp has a couple of attacking talents of his own among his back-ups.
MANCHESTER UNITED SUBS: Romero, Blind, Smalling, Fellaini, Mata, Rashford, Rooney
LIVERPOOL SUBS: Karius, Gomez, Moreno, Stewart, Ejaria, Coutinho, Sturridge
RESTART! We are back under way at Old Trafford, where there is news of a half-time change to bring you. Manchester United skipper Wayne Rooney is on in place of Michael Carrick, while Liverpool remain unchanged at this point.
It will be interesting to see what tactics Klopp adopts in this second half, with his side protecting a one-goal lead. The hosts are clearly going to go all out, particularly after bringing on another attacker in place of Michael Carrick.
SHOT! Not far wide at all from Origi, as he cuts in from the left and sends a shot towards the far corner. It took a wicked deflection off Jones right in front of goal, which helped De Gea as it ended narrowly past the post.
Rooney's first taste of the match is to fizz the ball right through the box. A good pass, but none of his teammates were around to get on the end of it. A free kick is then won for Mkhitaryan to float in, which Liverpool do well to defend.
All very frantic at the moment with neither side able to really keep their foot on the ball. Ten minutes of the second half now elapsed and the Red Devils no closer to drawing level, so perhaps Mourinho may be tempted into making another change.
CHANCE! A glorious chance for the home side - their best of the match. Martial wins the ball for his side and plays it to Ibrahimovic, who in turn plays Mkhitaryan through on goal once again. The Armenian saw the angle closed down and looked to square it to Martial, but the ball simply went straight through the box without a touch.
Rooney with a shot-cross towards the front post, which Mignolet does well to get behind. Not quite sure how the Red Devils are not level in this one, as they pile up the attempts but fail to find a way through with that final shot.
United's turn to press their opponent high up the pitch now, which works well as the ball is quickly won. No way through at the moment, but the hosts have already created three clear-cut chances in this match, two of which fell the way of Mkhitaryan.
LIVERPOOL SUB! Philippe Coutinho makes his return to Premier League action after missing his side's last seven games. Divock Origi is the man to make way, with Liverpool at risk of seeing their lead slip away at the moment.
SAVE! Well from nowhere Liverpool should have had a second. Coutinho makes an instant impact, picking out Firmino who was thwarted by De Gea - near enough the first save the Spaniard has had to make. Mata is about to be brought on.
MANCHESTER UNITED SUB! Mata was ready to come at the same time as Origi about five minutes ago, but the ball has only just gone out of play! The Spaniard is on for Martial, as Rooney drags a shot wide from range.
An attempt from Lallana has to be stopped by De Gea. Liverpool have done so much defending in this second half yet it is they who have been on top for the best part of five minutes now. Fast approaching the final 20 minutes at Old Trafford.
Cannot take your eyes off this second half. It has been end-to-end pretty much from the restart, with United creating the better chances but Liverpool also looking as though they have another goal in them. Klopp still has two changes available to him, while Mourinho has just the one.
A short stoppage in play for Milner to receive some treatment following a challenge from compatriot Rooney. It is Liverpool who are currently in possession, looking to see out the final quarter of this match to move back within five points of Chelsea.
The home side have struggled for momentum pretty much since Klopp brought on Coutinho for Origi - clearly an inspired change for the visitors. Mourinho is ready to make his final alteration of the match, as Fellaini begins to strip down.
CHANCE! Not the easiest of chances for Wijnaldum, but a chance nonetheless. Some sloppy play from Pogba is ponced on by Liverpool, who counter down the right and swing the ball in for the Dutchman to head over the bar from 10 yards out.
MANCHESTER UNITED SUB! A big call made by Mourinho, who brings on Fellaini for full-back Darmian. He was reluctant to take off Mkhitaryan, so the Armenian will slot in at the back for the remaining 12 minutes or so of the match.
Things not looking good for United in terms of maintaining their winning run, and I am sure home fans will happily take a draw right about now. Still an incredibly open game, but the Red Devils have not created anything since that big Mkhitaryan chance more than 20 minutes ago.
The Reds doing their best to ensure United cannot build up any momentum, as Can keeps hold of the ball down the right and then attempts an audacious cutback which is easily dealt with. Rooney volleys Mata's knockdown on target but the offside flag was quickly up.
GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 1-1 LIVERPOOL (ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC)
Who else?! Rooney chips the ball back into the box and it is flicked on to the post by Fellaini. It is Valencia who is on the rebound quickest and he picks out Ibrahimovic, who nods the ball over Mignolet for his 10th goal in 10 outings.
All to play for in these remaining few minutes of normal time, then, with the momentum now very much with United. Liverpool have focused largely on defending in this second period but have still showed the occasional glimpse that they have another goal in them. I wonder?...
YELLOW CARD! Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is the hosts who are looking the more likely to win this game late on. Herrera and Firmino have a little coming together and are both shown a yellow card by referee Michael Oliver. Four minutes of added time to come.
Klopp and Mourinho now exchanging a few words with a tense finale upon us. Three minutes of added time remaining and you would not bet against one of these sides finding a dramatic winner. United the more likely to do so on the basis of the last five minutes.
CHANCE! Wijnaldum with his second chance of the half - this one even more presentable than the first. The ball is helped across to the Dutchman who has a clean shot on goal, but he sent a tame attempt right down the middle.
FULL TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 1-1 LIVERPOOL
The full-time whistle sounds at Old Trafford, bringing a close to what was a hugely entertaining second half of football. It was open and contained numerous chances, and in the end Manchester United were good value for their point. We almost had a dramatic twist at the very death, too, only for Georginio Wijnaldum to squander his big chance to write his name in this fixture's illustrious folklore.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events at Old Trafford. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while reaction aplenty will follow elsewhere on the site over the next hour or so. Thanks for joining!
