Manchester United transfer news LIVE takeover updates and build up to Man Utd vs Liverpool

Manchester United face a stern test during their trip to Anfield later this afternoon (4.30pm kick-off) as they try to banish the ghosts of last year's 4-0 defeat to Liverpool.

The visitors go into the contest as favourites having lost just one league game since November. Jurgen Klopp's men have not conceded a league goal at home in 2023 but were recently routed 5-2 by Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Anthony Martial misses the bout but Luke Shaw and Jadon Sancho are expected to return after absences against West Ham in the 3-1 midweek FA Cup clash.

Meanwhile, attention is intensifying on the United's takeover process. Last night, reports suggested that both Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani have made it through to the second stage of bidding.

TODAY'S BIG TALKING POINT: How will United fare vs Liverpool? Have your say here .

Keep tabs on the latest news, views and transfer rumours with dedicated blog updates.

Nick McGeehan, co-director of human rights group FairSquare, says a Qatar-led takeover of Manchester United would be “tremendously dangerous” for both the club and the city amid a bid from one of the country's high-ranked bankers, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani.

McGeehan told the Manchester Evening News that FairSquare is “not surprised” by the bid but has grave concerns over the ramifications of a potential Qatari takeover.

“You’ve got two great Manchester institutions, [Manchester] City and United, in a city that has a proud history for all sorts of social issues, and is a city that wears that on its sleeve," he said.

“And here you’re going to have a situation where both of those clubs are going to be owned by abusive, corrupt states that are using them not because of any