The United manager's decision to leave most of his senior stars at home this week has paid dividends with Owen Hargreaves now recovered from the calf injury he sustained in the warm-up prior to Saturday's win over Derby.
The only minor doubt from Wednesday's draw in Rome is John O'Shea but Ferguson is confident last season's Anfield matchwinner will recover from an abductor strain.
O’Shea ensured himself legendary status among the United faithful last term when he scooped home an injury-time winner at Anfield that ultimately proved to be a pivotal moment in the Reds’ successful Premier League title quest.
Even if he shakes off a groin problem picked up against AS Roma on Wednesday, the Republic of Ireland international knows he will almost certainly be on the bench this weekend.
But that will not stop him dreaming about netting another show-stopping winner.
“What happened at Anfield last season is definitely up there as one of the best moments of my career,” he said.
“I am sure it will be on my mind on Sunday, especially if I come on in the last few minutes and the scoreline is level.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is set to return to the squad after a two-month absence with a metatarsal injury.
The Spain midfielder has featured in only six Barclays Premier League games and been out of action since the Arsenal match in October.
Steve Finnan is doubtful because of a calf problem while Daniel Agger remains sidelined with a foot injury.
Liverpool (from): Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Kewell, Gerrard, Mascherano, Benayoun, Alonso, Kuyt, Torres, Aurelio, Babel, Crouch, Finnan, Hobbs, Itandje, Leiva, Voronin, Sissoko.
Manchester United (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Brown, Simpson, Ferdinand, Vidic, Pique, O'Shea, Evra, Ronaldo, Nani, Fletcher, Anderson, Hargreaves, Carrick, Giggs, Rooney, Saha, Tevez.
Last season: Liverpool 0 United 1
Key opponent: Fernando Torres - Spaniard has the quality to unpick most defences
Prediction: Liverpool 0 United 1 - The Reds have a habit on pinching results at Anfield and this season they seem to have a clear edge on quality
Agree with the prediction? Have your say.
You can get 13/2 on United beating Liverpool 1-0 with Betfred. For this and more odds, click here.
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Showing comments 1 to 19 and replies | View All
khaled mahmood, bangladesh (14/12/2007 at 13:01)
Ant, Manchester (14/12/2007 at 13:05)
Prediction: 2-1 to United!
Steve, Glossop (14/12/2007 at 13:33)
Demo, Glossop (14/12/2007 at 14:03)
Frank Old Trafford (14/12/2007 at 14:05)
The flanks are another key area with Evra and Wes constantly going forward they could be caught out by a quick counter, again I'm counting on Owen to cover for them.
And the only real obsatcle to us winning is the poor finishing of our forwards which means that we'll have to hope that Ron gets another with a bit of help from Vidic, I suppose we could always stick Vida up front with Pique and pile in loads of crosses we'd win by 6 or 7!!!
Big Blue Doris, Lower Lymm (14/12/2007 at 14:09)
RANDYRED (14/12/2007 at 14:25)
As for the reinforced glass id only have to aggree,its like a champs/fa cup final when the man u army enter scum land and hooliganism is there only way of enjoying a football game.
RANDYRED (14/12/2007 at 14:41)
NUFF SAID REALLY.
HOW MANY CUPS HAVE YOU BEEN IN??????NOT MANY BENNY/NUFF SAID ,ILL TAKE YOUR TENNER.
Lee , Heywood, Heywood (14/12/2007 at 14:44)
Mick, Dublin (14/12/2007 at 14:49)
They've been very good against mediocre teams, like Marseille and Besiktas but their game against Arsenal was unbelievably one-sided, they should have lost by a hatful. They, more or less, held their own against Chelsea but they played them at the perfect time, when disruption was rife in the Londoners camp.
Apart from those games, every time a half-decent team has had a real go at them, the dippers have looked very ordinary indeed.
On paper, we should stroll this game.
But it's still gonna be squeaky bum time for me, from now, right the way through until Sunday evening!
RCH, Salford (14/12/2007 at 16:14)
seamus vanisle ex-stretford, Here (14/12/2007 at 16:50)
saha rocks, work (14/12/2007 at 17:41)
si 4 kop, Runcorn (14/12/2007 at 21:57)
stevemanu85, wales neath (14/12/2007 at 23:25)
totaly agree that hargreaves and anderson are huge, in my eyes they bring everthing that we did not have last year, they bring power pace physical strength energy that can cover so much ground and the most important thing they can do is tackle goals are the only thing missing to be the most feared midfield pairing going, add rooney and tevez that can go deep and be the third midfielder almost like saying it will be hargreaves anderson tevez.
liverpool have been lucky with united's midfield in the last few year's which had non of the thing's hargreaves and anderson have now, and this time liverpool are not going to have the upper hand in the only area they could compete with united even though they have torres now up front.
with united's back five of vds brown ferdinand vidic evra along with united's midfield pairing of hargreaves anderson that has the making's of the midfield that can be has powerful has keane and ince in 94 add the front four of ronaldo giggs tevez rooney what more can we ask for it's almost the perfect 11.
it maybe late in giggs career but how good would united be if giggs was in his prime playing with ronaldo at the moment.
Pepe (15/12/2007 at 14:13)
Riquelminho (15/12/2007 at 17:07)
Liverpool will be tired after their exploits in France, and United's team should be ready to go and refreshed, the main players being Ronaldo, Tevez, Anderson, Hargreaves, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Giggs, Van der Sar having had the week off. Rooney will be as fired up as ever and would like nothing more than to score against his childhood Merseyside rivals.
Liverpool rely so much on Gerrard and more recently, Torres thesedays its unbelievable. If there is no Gerrard or Torres there is no Liverpool, whereas we have the luxury of having several brilliant stars to rely on in the form of Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Giggs, Anderson, Ferdiand, Vidic etc to rely on. We are the team with the fewest goals conceeded in the Premiership. Ferdinand and Vidic will certainly have their work cut out, on the other had Torres and whoever else Rafa the 'Tinkerman' Benitez decides to partner him won't find it easy either!
In my opinion, though, I feel the game is going to be decided in midfield, with the key battle being Anderson/ Hargreaves Vs Gerrard/ Mascherano. Anderson and Hargreaves have certainly built a bond recently and the speed at which Anderson has adapted to the pace of the Premiership has been unbelievable. Scholes will certainly find it hard getting back into the team! Liverpool are a long ball team and I believe that whoever gets the ball in the middle of the park and wins the midfield battle will go on to victory. Lets hope Hargreaves can neutralise the attacking verve of Gerrard, whilst Anderson can put up a similar sort of performance to Arsenal, where he totally outshone Fabregas.
Our finishing in front of goal will also have to be clinical if we are to win. Lets hope Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez and Saha (when he is brought on) can bury those chances, as I'm sure plenty of them will be created.
This is how I think United will line up:
VdS(GK)
Brown(RB), Ferdinand(CB), Vidic(CB), Evra(LB),
Hargreaves(DMC)
Anderson(AMC)
Ronaldo(AMR also pushing up to a more forward Role), Giggs(AML)
Tevez(ST who will lie deeper, maybe even in the AMC position and will link up play and bring in creativity between midfield and strike)
Rooney(ST as the out an out striker)
So the formation will be sort of a 4-1-3-2/ 4-1-2-3.
As I've said before, I believe we have the tenacity, creativity, resilience, flair, guile and attacking verve in our team to go on and win this (even if it is at the Kop, lol).
My prediction: 3-1 to the Reds (meaning the Red Devils of course ;P)
Bring on the scum!!!
Man U Barry, San Francisco (16/12/2007 at 03:21)
O'Shea puts on the one of the
best goal scoring shows on the few occasions he's found
the net. His smile resonates
shyness and unbelievability.
Remember against Arsenal his
double take to be sure he
wasn't offside, against LPool he was similarly coy.
Nice to see his honest approach to scoring rather
than some of the league's big
time charlie's who show off in a less than professional way.
Up the Reds,
Uncle Buck, Burnage (16/12/2007 at 13:54)