Ruben Amorim was told how important it is to beat Liverpool after Manchester United press conference

The old Anfield press box could be one of the chilliest before it was renovated, relocated and reopened in 2016. When journalists were relocated to the upper tier of the main stand during the pandemic, the winter months were so harsh we may as well have been sat by the River Mersey.

Since Ruben Amorim promised a storm, Manchester United have lost six, won two, conceded 18 goals and scored nine. The gales will be at their harshest at Anfield.

Liverpool have racked up victories by margins of 7-0, 5-0, 4-0 and 3-0 against United in the past four years. Sweeter was the 2-0 triumph in January 2020. After Mohamed Salah's added-time clincher, the Kop sang, "We're gonna win the league". And they did.

History could repeat itself this weekend. Liverpool followers were reluctant to get ahead of themselves five years ago but they ended that day 16 points clear at the summit with a game in hand. This Liverpool is six points clear with a game in hand.

Six survivors from that Liverpool starting XI could line up this weekend. Everyone bar United's back three - Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw - has gone. Lindelof and Shaw are on the treatment table again.

Champions-elect against relegation fodder. Sunday appears to be a home banker and Amorim's trial and error selections have resulted in more errors. The United squad is so uninspiring and incapable they have another Argooperation to navigate. There are only bad options and Amorim must settle on the best bad idea he has.

It gets worse. United are winless at Anfield in nine games and nine years, their longest ever drought at the ground since they first played there in 1895. There have been five defeats, four draws, 18 goals shipped and one scored. That was from an error by