Has United vs Liverpool ever been tougher to call?

There will be plenty of new faces on show as Liverpool and United lock horns at Anfield this Saturday. Both sides will be sporting a distinctly British look as the season’s first `English classico` looms. There may not be as much obvious star power as there has been in the past between the teams but you can expect the same level of intensity, passion and aggression as before. Make no mistake this game remains the most prestigious fixture on the English Calendar.

Ferguson aimed a veiled swipe at Liverpool by stating ` every time we go there it`s the biggest game of the century` his insinuation being the game means more to the Merseysiders than his own team. In truth this fixture has always resonated with the Scotsmen, and his entire reign with the Red Devils has been played out to a backdrop of deposing Liverpool as the country`s most successful team. United have forged ahead of their rivals domestically, however successive Champions league defeats to Barcelona have all but ended his hopes of surpassing Liverpool in Europe.

Fergie has acknowledged the renewed threat of Liverpool and conceded his team have been outfought on their recent travels to Anfield. With the visit of Man City following this game, United will think it imperative not to lose. The anticipated return of Vidic is a timely as United have looked worryingly open in recent weeks despite the bags of potential shown by Smalling and Jones.

It will be the first time the likes of Young, Welbeck and Jones take part in a game of this magnitude and it promises to be a baptism of fire. Rooney should be used to the febrile atmosphere of Anfield by now, but his stupidity in Montenegro highlighted his fuse remains short. He will be subjected to vicious abuse and taunts and must be careful to get caught up in the moment, particularly in a game which often produces a red card.

For Liverpool the season has been efficient rather than spectacular. Their new boys are gradually bedding in and the win at Everton was the tonic required to banish memories of successive defeats to Stoke and Spurs. Thus they come into their biggest game of the season in decent form and confidence. The fans are entitled to believe they can beat United for the fourth time running at Anfield, but will be wary of their own defensive shortcomings.

The return of Gerrard has given everyone a lift and his presence on Saturday will give his team that extra bit of belief that they can turn their rivals over. How far along he is in terms of match fitness remains to be seen and whether he still has the explosiveness of old is a bigger question, but his general play and commitment will aid Adam and remove from his shoulders some of the creative burden. Luis Suarez has just played two qualifies for his country but such is the Uruguayans irrepressible nature he will be chomping at the bit to unleash his full powers on the United defence and continue his stunning start to the season.

For Dalglish the game offers another opportunity to pit his wits against his friend/rival and fellow Scotsman Fergie. Honours were even between the two last season, but King Kenny comes into this game with a much deeper squad. He will know better than anyone the significance of beating of United at Anfield; these are the games he will have dreamed of being a part of in his period of exile.

In terms of quality this is the most even game between the teams for two seasons. United never like losing to their bitter enemies but they will also see the game as a way to take momentum into the Manchester derby. Liverpool have picked themselves out of the doldrums and they will head into Saturday with the mind set of picking up three points to further their own ambitions. Dalglish will want to utilise the game as a stepping stone for his team rather than a way to gain bragging rights. Beating United has been a bonus in an otherwise mediocre season for the Reds for the last two years; this game represents the chance to change that perception.

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