Manchester United are about to discover how many players would be worthy of a Sir Alex Ferguson team

Sir Alex Ferguson always said he considered Manchester United transfer targets on the basis of how he thought they would perform against Liverpool at Anfield.

The legendary manager labelled it the 'ultimate test' for any United side. One that not only challenges their technical ability but also their mental strength and attitude to win in the most hostile environments. That is the challenge Erik ten Hag's motley crew of misfits must rise to this weekend. We are about to see what this side is really made of.

It is a cliche that form goes out of the window for any derby encounter and that will suit United well as they head to Anfield as clear underdogs to get a positive result. For so many years, there was an expectation and a demand that United would win whenever they faced Man City or Liverpool in any competition.

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Now the boot is firmly on the other foot. The only expectation is that United's misery will continue and many fans are rightfully fearing the worst after their 7-0 annihilation the last time they visited.

Ten Hag was never going to be sacked after that massacre back in March, but having just been dumped out of the Champions League, another heavy defeat of that magnitude could signal the point of no return. It is hard to ignore the injury situation United have had to contend with, though it has often been a convenient distraction when performances simply haven't been good enough, regardless of personnel.

That was no more apparent than on Tuesday night, when United knew they had to win to have any hope of staying in the Champions League, yet put in a limp and lacklustre display without ever really