Premier League predictions: Manchester United vs. Liverpool odds, pick, Mar. 5

One of the most famous rivalries in sports will be renewed at Anfield this weekend.

Liverpool, currently sitting in sixth-place in the Premier League and desperate to make a run at a Champions League spot, will host fourth-place Manchester United in what should be a rollicking affair.

Bookmakers are having a tough time separating the two sides as Liverpool is a lukewarm +138 home favorite, United is +180 and the draw is currently sitting at +260.

Liverpool vs. Manchester United pick

(11:30 a.m. ET, USA Network)

You have to go back to the third matchweek of the season for the last time these two teams met.

And, boy, how things have changed.

United started the season 0-2 with losses to Brighton and Brentford, and pressure was already turning up on manager Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford. 

Liverpool, meanwhile, were still expected to be title contenders at that point and were an odds-on favorite in Manchester. 

A 2-1 win for Manchester United on that day completely changed the season.

Since then, United has gone 15-4-3 (W-D-L), which is the second-best record in the Premier League in that span.

Liverpool, on the other hand, has gone 11-7-4 in that span. 

United has scored at least once in 28 straight matches (all competitions) and scored at least twice in 22 of those contests.

In fact, you have to go back 13 games to find the last time the Red Devils were held under two goals. 

Manchester United’s soaring offensive form spells bad news for Liverpool, which has struggled defensively all season, especially against teams that can counter quickly like the Red Devils.

Liverpool does have four clean sheets in their last five matches, but three of those came against Everton, Wolves and Crystal Palace and their shutout against Newcastle was smoke and mirrors.

The Magpies played most of that match with 10 men and still created 2.0 expected goals. 

And the one match that Liverpool did concede in during that span was a 5-2 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Madrid and United aren’t exactly like for like, but both sides are experts at waiting you out and then striking quickly in transition, which happens to be Liverpool’s biggest weakness. 

In fact, there is a decent chance that this match looks a lot like that Real Madrid contest.

The atmosphere should be electric and Liverpool will try to start quickly, but their defensive deficiencies and United’s attacking genius should keep them in the match, even if they go down early like Madrid did a few weeks ago.

United’s upward trend is legitimate and it doesn’t look like it will be stopping anytime soon, while Liverpool’s concerns aren’t going anywhere, either.

Liverpool vs. Manchester United prediction:

Manchester United +180 (BetMGM)