PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW: LIVERPOOL V MANCHESTER

Liverpool have an opportunity to
derail Manchester United's title
challenge when the arch-rivals clash at
Anfield on Sunday.
League leaders Manchester United lost
2-1 away to Chelsea on Tuesday and
are only four points clear of second-
placed Arsenal.
By the time United take to the pitch,
the gap could be down to just one
point if Arsenal can beat Sunderland
on Saturday.
United will be without their captain Nemanja Vidic for the trip to
Liverpool after the centre-back was sent off for two bookable
offences in the defeat at Stamford Bridge.
With Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans also sidelined through
injury, Wes Brown is expected to deputise alongside the
emerging Chris Smalling.
The makeshift pair of Brown and Smalling could be set for a stern
examination at Anfield, with 35-million pound man Andy Carroll in
contention to make his Liverpool debut on Sunday.
The powerful striker has been sidelined with injury since his
British-record transfer from Newcastle United in January, but
could finally be set to link up with Luis Suarez in a new-look front
line.
Liverpool have climbed to sixth in the table under the stewardship
of Kenny Dalglish, but their revival faltered with a 3-1 loss away to
relegation-threatened West Ham United last Sunday.
They were rarely in the contest at Upton Park and will need a
significant improvement from the likes of stalwarts Steven
Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt if they are to overturn United.
Sir Alex Ferguson felt key decisions went against Manchester
United in their reverse at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea took the lead through a contentious penalty and the hosts
might have gone down to 10 men before United did - Brazil
defender David Luiz was lucky not to receive a second yellow
card for a blatant trip on Wayne Rooney.
United have a growing injury list to contend with - joining
Ferdinand and Evans on the sidelines are midfielders Anderson,
Antonio Valencia, Owen Hargreaves and Park Ji-Sung.
Injury is also expected to deny Michael Owen a chance of
featuring against his former club.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are likely to be without defenders Martin
Kelly and Daniel Agger, wide man Fabio Aurelio and promising
midfielder Jonjo Shelvey.
4 March 2011 12:15