How can Manchester United contain the attacking threat of Liverpool?

Fun fact: Jurgen Klopp has never beaten Man Utd during his time as Liverpool manager. Judging by Man Utd's recent form and various off-field complaints, Sunday's big game might change that.

Liverpool have been incredible to watch this season and deservedly sit top of the table but must now try to keep up the momentum with their rivals in view from the wing mirrors rather than out in front. It's new territory - how will Liverpool cope?

Jose Mourinho has already started the mind games by stating trophies are what matters... could he be the one to mastermind a method to knocking Klopp's team off their stride?

Why Liverpool are stronger defensively

Virgil Van Dijk and Alisson have turned Liverpool from title hopefuls to genuine contenders and have improved the defence from joint-fourth best in the Premier League last season (an average of one goal conceded per game) to the clear best this season (only six goals conceded - 0.37 per game). 

Defending happens as a unit though, and Liverpool's entire approach to matches has changed this season. The manic high press has been turned down from 11 and Klopp's side allow their opponents more passes per defensive action (essentially, opposition teams aren't being shut down so relentlessly) and have forced fewer turnovers as a result, down from 4.97 per game to 4.44 this season.

This slightly more measured (not cautious) strategy means Liverpool might save a wee bit of energy but they also produce fewer scoring chances from turnovers, with Opta's 'Shot Ending in High Turnover' stat showing a drop from one per game in 2017/18 to 0.5 in 2018/19. A reduction in attacking intensity makes them stronger defensively by being less vulnerable to quick counter-attacks if the high press is bypassed. Klopp has finely tuned his team and got the balance right. 

How Man Utd create chances

United put in an average of 21 crosses per game - the fourth most in the league behind Huddersfield, Leicester and Everton - and do this despite usually only having Romelu Lukaku as the only player capable of, or in position to score with a header in open play. 

Opposition teams know that if they lose possession and get into a defensive quickly against Man Utd, they can easily block the path to goal and force play out wide.

When United win the ball and have a chance to counter-attack, players don't get into positions quickly enough to enable vertical passing. 

We saw it often against Southampton.

This slows play down and allows the defending team to get back in shape to defend crosses - something Van Dijk and friends won't struggle to deal with.

For whatever reason, the player carrying the ball for United often reaches the halfway line and has no option but to pass sideways, or wait for an overlap and get tackled. What should happen is something that looks a bit more like this:

Mourinho's most creative player this season is Alexis Sanchez (honestly) with 2.8 chances created per game. Anthony Martial (1.83 per game), Diogo Dalot (1.82) and Marcus Rashford (1.66) are the next best, with Dalot's chance creation coming from 5.9 crosses per game. Compared to Luke Shaw's 2.37 crosses per game, Dalot's numbers suggest he has made a real attacking impact to the first team.

How Mourinho is likely to counter the Liverpool threat

The best way to prevent an embarrassing scoreline against Liverpool is to sit deep, frustrate, contain and counter-attack. 

A defence weakened by injury will need protection throughout. Mourinho has recently returned to a shape similar to his old 4-4-2 diamond used at Porto, and if used here Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini and Nemanja Matic will be busy bees at Anfield. They must form a block in front of the back four to ensure the half-spaces aren't left open for Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah to exploit, while Matic must be aware of Roberto Firmino's wandering from the nine space.

Rashford's direct running is United's best chances of breaking the Liverpool lines of defence and the key to counter-attacks. Lukaku must be ready to hold up any high balls played over the Liverpool press and United's defence must stay deep throughout to avoid being caught out with balls over the top. To stop United's shape being stretched vertically (defenders too far from the strikers and a gaping hole where a midfield should be), the team has to move as one unit. How far up the pitch that unit gets depends on how brave the players feel.

Mourinho is a master of destroying creative play and will surely summon all manner of dark arts to try and secure a result. After all, style matters little to Mourinho as long as his team wins - trophies are what really counts and he's won a few of those in the past.