Manchester United vs Liverpool: 5 men who hold the key for Solskjaer | Premier League 2018-19

Manchester United would be hosting Liverpool at Old Trafford in the most anticipated fixture of game week twenty-seven. The hosts are fourth in the league, one point clear of both Chelsea and Arsenal while the visitors are level with Manchester City upfront having played a game less.

The previous meeting between the two was a one-sided affair as Liverpool rolled over United in what proved to be the last game in charge for Jose Mourinho. The departure of Jose led to the appointment of former player and club legend, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who has turned the tide at Old Trafford.

Solskjaer has not only bought back smiles among the faces of the players and the fans but also produced results which took United from sixth to fourth in the table. The Red Devils have won eleven out of thirteen games under the caretaker manager and are now in the driving seat to finish in the top four.

The most notable aspect of Solskjaer's management is the revival of some of the best players at United which includes Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, and Antony Martial. Martial signed a new long term deal at the club while Paul and Rashford have come up with some match-winning performances of their own.

A Premier League tie against Liverpool is always a big moment for both sets of players and United certainly have the momentum going into this game. However, history or past form doesn't count in this kind of fixtures, and it all boils down to some individual brilliance or a team performance on that very day. Hence without further ado, let's look at the five players who would be crucial for United against the Reds.

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#5 Ander Herrera

Herrera is irreplaceable in the side.

Herrera made his debut for United under the former manager, Louis Van Gaal. After a bit of topsy-turvy start to his Premier League career, Ander won Manchester United's Player of the Year award in Jose Mourinho's first season in charge. He failed to replicate the same form in the following year and spent most of the time on the bench or out of the squad.

However, stars have started to shine once again for the Spaniard as he is one of the first names in the team sheet under Solskjaer. Herrera is always lively and vocal at the center of the park and never lets the momentum drop. He does most of the defensive duties alongside Matic but doesn't refrain from joining forces in the attack like he did against Chelsea.

Both the sides have quality midfield players and prefer to play in a 4-3-3 formation. Apart from supporting Matic and Pogba, Ander needs to disrupt the balance that Henderson and Wijnaldum provide and make sure those through balls from the midfield get blocked.

#4 Ashley Young

Young's experience would be handy against Liverpool.

Young has got a lot of stick lately for some his average performances, and his one-year contract extension didn't go down well with the fans either. Ashley is one of the few players in the side who has won a Premier League title and understands the magnitude of this kind of fixtures.

The 33-year-old has been restricted to defensive duties mostly in the big games this season, and it would be the same on Sunday as well. He would have a mammoth task of dealing with both Mane and Robertson down the left-hand side, and Young needs to use all his experience to thwart any attack from that flank.

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#3 Luke Shaw

Luke Shaw.

The revival of Luke Shaw at Manchester United is a story worth getting inspired by. After falling out of favor under Jose Mourinho and struggling with injuries, the England international held on to his ground and crawled his way back into the side.

Luke is now a regular first-team player at United after his impressive performances since the start of the current campaign. He marauds forward at will to link up play with Martial or Sanchez and performs his defensive duties diligently as well.

Shaw would have the responsibly to stop Mo Salah wreaking havoc near the United's penalty area and subsequently more forward to keep Trent Alexander-Arnold on his half as much as possible. The battle down that side could go a long way in deciding the outcome of this match.

#2 Marcus Rashford

Rashford is one of the best strikers in the league at the moment.

Marcus Rashford struggled to replicate the same form under Jose Mourinho which he did under Louis Van Gaal. The England international got used as a left winger, right winger and a center forward by the Portuguese which didn't allow Rashford to produce the best of his abilities.

However, once Solskjaer took charge, Rashford got promoted as the primary striker in the side which has done wonders to his confidence. He is more prolific in front of the goal now than he has ever been and is a nightmare for any defender to deal with his pace and trickery in the six-yard box.

It's likely that Rashford would start in the center forward position against Liverpool as well and would be a handful against the likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Fabinho at the back.

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#1 Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba has turned his fortunes around at Old Trafford.

Pogba's performance so far has highlighted the difference between Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Frenchman has scored more than ten goals in the league this season which is a first in his career.

Paul is playing some of the best football of his life and was involved in most of the goals United scored under Solskjaer. His vision and passing ability are praiseworthy as well.

It's evident that Liverpool would try to use the strategy deployed by PSG against Pogba and try to choke him off his free-flowing football which makes it even more crucial for Solskjaer to outstrategize Klopp and find a way to let Paul dictate the midfield battle against Liverpool.