Bottom-of-the-table Manchester United tune up for Liverpool clash - in pictures

Manchester United find themselves in the unusual position of propping up the Premier League, battered by takeover talk, uncertainty about the future of their superstar forward, and desperate for new recruits.

It's a tough start for new manager Erik ten Hag after losing the first two games, at home to Brighton and the thrashing at Brentford - and next up it's the small matter of an Old Trafford test against bitter rivals Liverpool.

His players - particularly skipper Harry Maguire - have come in for a barrage of criticism for their early form, and have been trying to rectify some of their problems on the training pitch ahead of Monday night's huge encounter.

Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the stars putting the work in, but whether he remains at the club after the transfer window shuts on September 1 remains to be seen. The Portuguese star has accused the media of spreading "lies" regarding his future at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, the club is working hard to bring in new faces, with links to Real Madrid's Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong, and Juventus star Adrien Rabiot.

And on top of that, a spokesman for British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe said the businessman is "definitely a potential buyer" of United if they are put up for sale by the Glazer family.

The current United stars will be under further scrutiny when they face Liverpool, followed by a trip to Southampton next weekend. To see them in training, see the gallery above. To view the next image, just swipe.