Manchester United's tactical approach vs Liverpool is going to rely on three players

In boxing terminology, there is a classic saying that 'styles make fights', which is a way of saying having two distinct fighters going up against each other can often produce great contests, while two defensive tacticians will often combine for 12 rounds of drudgery.

In football terms, a case can be made that Pep Guardiola's Manchester City and Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool fit the mould. Two excellent teams with slightly differing approaches that make for watchable and enthralling games. But at Old Trafford this weekend there will be another contrast of styles, between a team happy to let opponents take shots at their goal and a team more than happy to do exactly that.

Only Sheffield United have had more shots against them in the Premier League this season than Manchester United - and nobody needs reminding how that has panned out for the Blades, least of all Chris Wilder. Conversely, no team has tried their luck more often than Liverpool. They are capable of blowing teams away.

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We've already had one example of how these approaches can play out, back at Anfield in December. That Sunday afternoon saw Liverpool rack up 34 shots, but it ended goalless and Klopp was praising United's defending after the game.

This weekend it is the first of two Old Trafford rematches, this one in an FA Cup quarter-final that must be settled on the day. It seems certain United will go in with the same approach and hope that a combination of blocks, saves and inaccuracy keeps their goal intact once again.

That seems likely to be the plan, anyway. Erik ten Hag was quizzed on