Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson: Facing Man Utd as big as it gets

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson says today's clash with Manchester United is as big as it gets.

Henderson's first-hand experience of the rivalry spans more than a decade and he is expecting another tough contest in the latest instalment at Anfield on Sunday.

“Some games jump off the fixture list no matter who your team is and Liverpool versus Manchester United has always been one of them," Henderson writes in his notes for the official Liverpool matchday programme.

“No-one involved, whether player, staff or supporter, needs any advice about how much this one means. It is as big as it gets.

“Whereas some rivalries are dependent on form or placings in the league table, this one never has been. It doesn't matter how we are playing, how United are performing or what is at stake in terms of the bigger picture, this is a fixture that always has enormous significance.

“I have been fortunate to have more than a decade of experience of it and I can say without hesitation that it is never anything other than a huge test. Like us, United are a massive club with huge expectations and as players we have to carry that responsibility onto the pitch in the knowledge of what is expected of us.

“It's fair to say that United will arrive at Anfield [on Sunday] having a better season than we are. They have just won a trophy and they are higher up the Premier League table than us so their confidence will be high. When kick-off arrives, though, anything that's gone before will be irrelevant.

“As I've said previously when we were riding high, it is all about what happens on the day in these fixtures and if you don't respect the opposition and the quality they will bring, your form will count for absolutely nothing. There is a job to be done and it is up to us to do it."