Liverpool and Manchester United will face off this coming Saturday, 3 August in South Carolina for the final friendly of the USA pre-season for both sides.
The highly anticipated clash will kick-off at the Williams-Brice Stadium at 12:30 BST, which will prove a challenge for UK viewers but at least it falls on a weekend.
This match is a key fixture in the “Rivals in Red” tour and serves as a vital preparation for both clubs ahead of the upcoming Premier League season.
Liverpool has shown a mix of promising form and tactical experimentation during their pre-season.
They recently secured victories against Real Betis and Arsenal, showcasing fluid attacking play and defensive solidity – especially in the victory against the Gunners.
Managed by Erik ten Hag, Manchester United has also been testing various formations and integrating new players.
The Red Devils were unable to beat the Gunners though, losing 2-1 in their friendly bout before managing to record a 3-2 win against Real Betis.
Ten Hag has been fairly consistent with his formation, often deploying a 4-2-3-1 system that allows for flexibility in both defense and attack.
Of course, this friendly will also provide the opportunity for both managers to get reacquainted with one another after going up against each other in the Eredivisie with Ajax and AZ/Feyenoord.
Incredibly, Slot’s Alkmaar team won both matches against the Amsterdam heavyweights in the 19/20 season.
Ten Hag’s team defeated Slot’s Feyenoord twice in their other meetings the following season, making their head-to-head record equal.
What injuries do Manchester United face?
Unfortunately for Ten Hag and Manchester United, they are carrying some injuries heading into the friendly this weekend.
New signing Leny Yoro has been ruled out for three months after suffering a broken metatarsal against Real Betis.
He is only expected to return in October at the latest, which means he will miss a decent chunk of the 2024–2025 season.
Though Yoro would have preferred to remain with the team for the whole tour, he has returned to the UK for more medical testing.
Hojlund opened the scoring for United last weekend, but he was forced from the field due to a hamstring injury.
He likewise has been ruled out until September, meaning he will not feature against Liverpool.
And now a further concern has emerged with Marcus Rashford not moving freely after a few ‘rough’ challenges from the Real Betis player.
It is unclear whether the England international suffered lasting ankle damage, but with Liverpool just around the corner it is a concern.
???????? Marcus Rashford, down in pain and also subbed off for Man United.
One more potential injury to check after Leny Yoro (3 months out) and Rasmus Højlund (6 weeks out).
⤵️? @espnfc pic.twitter.com/LLvBggVAZg
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 1, 2024
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