Why Liverpool FC have fitness advantage over Manchester United despite Thursday Europa League game
Manchester United and Liverpool were both in European action during the week but the latter should go into Sunday's clash the fresher despite playing two days later.
United were eliminated from the Champions League on Tuesday after losing 1-0 at home to Bayern Munich. Erik ten Hag's side faced an uphill battle after consecutive defeats kicked off the group stages and in the end, they finished bottom of Group A and will have no continental football beyond Christmas.
Ten Hag will have taken some comfort in knowing his side played 48 hours before Liverpool, who also had to travel to Belgium for their final Europa League group stage game against Union Saint-Gilloise. Those marginal gains can prove crucial when it comes to the weekend but Jurgen Klopp was afforded a luxury that his dugout rival was not.
ALSO READ: United give injury updates on four players for Liverpool
ALSO READ: Liverpool have become specialists in seeing off United managers
Having won four of their first five group stage games, Liverpool had already secured top-spot and an instant route into the Europa League's round-of-32 draw. And so Klopp was able to rotate heavily for what was essentially a dead-rubber that they lost 2-1.
Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk were all given the night off completely, while Luis Diaz, Dominik Szoboszlai and Kostas Tsimikas were all on the bench but unused. Darwin Nunez and Ryan Gravenberch came off the bench but had minutes carefully managed.
The importance of United's game on Tuesday meant Ten Hag was forced to go full strength, and he lost regular starter Harry Maguire in the first-half as a result. Luke Shaw also looked to have sustained an issue but he will be available for the weekend.
Noneth
Read on manchestereveningnews.co.uk
