Alexander Isak was ruled out of Sunday’s derby against Manchester United with a groin injury, prolonging a difficult debut campaign at Liverpool. Isak had been eased into first-team action during his first three months at the club before suffering a broken fibula against Tottenham Hotspur in December. He did not make another appearance until April and had started to regain form, scoring a well-taken goal against Crystal Palace last weekend, but that momentum was halted.

Arne Slot named a 4-2-3-1 for the trip to Old Trafford: Freddie Woodman; Curtis Jones, Ibrahima Konaté, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson; Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch; Jeremie Frimpong, Dominik Szoboszlai, Florian Wirtz; Cody Gakpo.

Substitutes: Armin Pecsi (GK), Joe Gomez, Milos Kerkez, Federico Chiesa, Trey Nyoni, Kieran Morrison, Rio Ngumoha, Mor Talla Ndiaye, Will Wright.

With Hugo Ekitiké and Mohamed Salah also sidelined, Slot again adjusted his selection. Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong are all capable of filling the right-back role for Liverpool, while Szoboszlai and Frimpong have also been used further up the right flank. Cody Gakpo is expected to resume an unloved central striking role, though Slot could deploy Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai in a dual-false-nine setup he used sporadically last season.

First-choice goalkeeper Alisson did not overcome his fitness issue for the trip, and with Giorgi Mamardashvili also unavailable, Freddie Woodman started in goal once more.

At this late stage of the season a relatively minor muscle strain can end a campaign, and with a World Cup on the horizon there is added incentive for players and staff to take a cautious approach to rehabilitation and recovery.

Mohamed Salah guarded his words with the same care he has shown across a high-profile Liverpool career, but his interview with Steven Gerrard for TNT Sports delivered several clear signals about his future.

Salah revealed a private January meeting with Gerrard that shaped his thinking at a turbulent point. “People didn’t know you came to my house, we had a good conversation,” Salah revealed, inspiring a bashful smirk from Gerrard. “You said your opinion and I really appreciate it. I am glad I am leaving now through the big door.

“That is something you mentioned to me, just leave on your terms, I still remember those words. I am happy about it. Everything that is going on this season makes me think, ‘No it’s time to go.’”

On what comes next away from Liverpool, the 33-year-old remained undecided but emphatic about his condition. “Honestly physically I feel I have a lot to give,” he said, then added: “I played many games this season. I haven’t decided what I am going to do yet, I have a lot of good options. Physically I feel fine, I feel what I did over the years paid off, I feel good.”

He was equally forthright about fitness. “I feel good, body wise I feel all right,” Salah insisted. “Last season I had this incredible season, I think I have a lot to give and I will see what is the best for me.”

Salah acknowledged interest from a range of suitors, from Saudi Arabia to MLS, while leaving open whether a European elite side will match his view of his own fitness.

Injury and availability were discussed. The forward damaged his hamstring at the end of April, ruling him out of the trip to Man Utd and possibly the Chelsea game, but he left room for a return later in the month. When Gerrard suggested he might miss the final weekend, Salah replied: “Yeah, yeah, for sure.” He added: “The injury is fine,” he explained. “Probably it will be before that.”

Salah also responded to a message from Jürgen Klopp with a light jab. “I was so happy last year that I win the Premier League ,” the top-flight champion smiled, “then I can tell him that, ‘I have two Premier Leagues and you have one.’”

Remaining fixtures cited in the interview were: Sunday, May 3 v Man Utd (Old Trafford); Saturday, May 9 v Chelsea (Anfield); Sunday, May 17 v Aston Villa (Villa Park); Sunday, May 24 v Brentford (Anfield).

Manchester United and Liverpool have produced a sequence of fixtures rich in drama and sudden swings of fortune. Michael Carrick set the tone ahead of his first meeting with the rival: “There’s big games and big rivalries that we have with other teams,” Manchester United manager Michael Carrick mused before his first managerial meeting with Liverpool, “but certainly this one is right up there in the history.”

One FA Cup quarterfinal captured that chaos in microcosm. Scott McTominay opened inside 10 minutes, only for the contest to unravel at the back for the hosts late on. In the closing stages United’s right winger Antony was deployed at left back beside Bruno Fernandes, who ended up orchestrating play from a deep defensive position. Antony forced extra time with an 87th-minute intervention after Liverpool had gone 2–1 up on the cusp of half time. Harvey Elliott nudged the visitors back in front, Marcus Rashford restored parity, and Amad Diallo snatched victory in the 121st minute. Diallo was shown a red card in the 122nd minute after collecting a second booking for taking his shirt off to celebrate the winner.

Less than a month later United applied a major dent to Liverpool’s Premier League hopes and ensured Jürgen Klopp would not have a happy sendoff. United were only denied all three points by Mohamed Salah’s late penalty. “It feels like a loss,” Virgil van Dijk lamented after the final whistle.

Arne Slot’s first visit to Old Trafford brought a different story. Liverpool ran rampant, Luis Díaz struck a first-half brace and Mohamed Salah added a further goal as the Theatre of Dreams emptied at half time. Casemiro was withdrawn at the interval by Erik ten Hag. Slot later explained how he outsmarted Ten Hag in his postmatch interview with Sky Sports.

January 2025, amid a Merseyside blizzard, arrived when Manchester United were fragile after four straight defeats and seven unanswered goals conceded. Under Ruben Amorim the visitors produced arguably their best performance of his doomed reign: Lisandro Martínez gave United an early lead, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah replied quickly, and Amad Diallo’s 80th-minute equaliser preserved pride.

Even the more recent meeting in October 2025 held a twist. United’s wait for an Anfield victory had stretched to nearly a decade by the time Harry Maguire thundered in the winner in a 2–1 win after an opening goal inside 63 seconds and a Cody Gakpo leveller in the 78th minute.