Nani backs Man United to upset Liverpool

Manchester United have been backed to pull off a surprise win over Liverpool at Anfield, despite being 27 points behind their arch-rivals in the Premier League table.

The Red Devils are fifth in the top flight standings at the moment, and have a real fight on their hands to finish in the Champions League places come May.

In stark contrast, Liverpool are on course to win their first league title in 30 years by an unprecedented margin, having won 20 of their 21 fixtures this season.

Jurgen Klopp's men are unbeaten in 38 games and have won their last 12 on the bounce, moving 14 points clear of reigning champions Manchester City with a game in hand.

United are underdogs heading into their latest clash with the Reds, but they have managed to defy the odds on more than one occasion in the 2019-20 campaign.

Head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer masterminded a 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Old Trafford on October 20, while also overseeing back-to-back wins over Spurs and City in December.

United produced a stunning counter-attacking display to beat their noisy neighbours 2-1 at Etihad Stadium, a performance which Nani believes they can reproduce on Sunday.

“When everyone expects one team to lose in these kinds of games, that’s when that team answers in a different way," the ex-United winger told CNN.

"Man Utd is still Man Utd, with big players, and with a big motivation everything can happen. Even with Liverpool being the best team in the Premier League.

"Man Utd has great players who can decide a match in one single moment.

"I’m confident that Man Utd will do the same thing they did with Man City away."

The Red Devils are five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, who can extend that advantage to seven if they beat Newcastle at St James' Park on Saturday night.

United can ill afford to lose any more ground on the Blues, but they could be without top goalscorer Marcus Rashford against Liverpool.

The England international sustained a knock in an FA Cup third-round replay win over Wolves on Wednesday, with Solskjaer confirming that he will face a late fitness test ahead of the trip to Merseyside.

Marcos Rojo, Scott McTominay, Axel Tuanzebe and Paul Pogba will all definitely be absent, but Eric Bailly is in contention for a place in the squad after returning from a long-term injury lay off.