The Reds head into the North-West derby with their biggest points advantage over rivals United since 1990, sitting 16 points better off.
Victory is required today if the home side are to climb back above Manchester City at the top of the table, while the Red Devils can move back to within eight points of the top four with a win on enemy territory.
Follow all of the action as it unfolds with our extensive updates below.
OFFICIAL LINE-UPS
LIVERPOOL: Alisson; Clyne, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Keita; Mane, Firmino, Salah
SUBS: Mignolet, Moreno, Camacho, Henderson, Lallana, Shaqiri, Sturridge
MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea; Darmian, Smalling, Lindelof; Dalot, Lingard, Matic, Herrera, Young; Rashford, Lukaku
SUBS: Romero, Bailly, Valencia, Fellaini, Pogba, Mata, Martial
Liverpool return to the top of the Premier League, one point above Manchester City, thanks to an inspired substitution by Jurgen Klopp. Xherdan Shaqiri was brought on for the final 20 minutes and took just a couple of minutes to make an impact, before going on to add a second - and the Reds' third - before full time. Manchester United were poor overall, registering just two shots on target all game. Thanks for joining our live coverage of this match!
90+3 min LIVERPOOL 3-1 MANCHESTER UNITED
90+1 min Salah shoots into the side-netting and then clips the top of the net with his next effort. Liverpool are cruising towards their 14th league win of the season - one that will take them back top - with United offering little in response.
89 min Could this be the end for Mourinho? Probably not, with a number of games to come over the next three weeks, but the Portuguese really is walking on thin ice now. Mourinho got his tactics wrong today and Liverpool will be deserved winners.
87 min MANCHESTER UNITED SUB! There will be no Pogba this afternoon, as Mourinho brings on Mata for Lingard in his final roll of the dice. The Red Devils have three minutes, plus added time, to somehow salvage something.
85 min Shaqiri, on a hat-trick, tees up Mane who has a shot saved by De Gea. Many will argue that United have got what they deserved today for being overly-defensive. On comes Henderson for Keita as Klopp looks to protect this two-goal lead.
83 min Liverpool are heading back to the top of the Premier League table - and it is all thanks to this man Xherdan Shaqiri! The ball is worked back to the substitute just outside the box, and his shot deflects off Bailly and past De Gea. That's five Premier League goals for the season.
81 min LIVERPOOL 3-1 MANCHESTER UNITED (XHERDAN SHAQIRI)
79 min MANCHESTER UNITED SUB! Herrera sends in a low cross which was crying out for a visiting player to get on the end of, but Liverpool clear their lines. A second change of the match for United now, as Martial replaces Herrera.
77 min Almost an instant leveller for United. Lukaku and Lingard exchanged passes, but the latter got under the ball when shooting from 20 yards, sending it sailing over the crossbar. Just 144 seconds between Shaqiri coming on and finding the net.
75 min Klopp's gamble pays off as Shaqiri, brought on for Keita three minutes ago, rifles the ball home! Mane created it with his trickery on the left, sending Herrera to the ground and then sending the ball into the middle. De Gea stuck out a leg to deflect the ball away, but Shaqiri was waiting to smash the ball in off the underside of the crossbar. Six United players in the box and nobody was there to stop him.
74 min LIVERPOOL 2-1 MANCHESTER UNITED (XHERDAN SHAQIRI)
73 min Fabinho with a decent attempt from distance, which had plenty of swerve on it. De Gea not only saved the ball but he also kept a hold of it, showing Alisson how it is done.
72 min LIVERPOOL SUB! Xherdan Shaqiri is on for Naby Keita as Klopp turns to his bench for the first time today. Both managers now have two changes available to make should they wish.
71 min Wijnaldum gets a shot away from 25 yards, but he has a sea of bodies in front of him. The Dutchman would have been happy to see the ball make it as far as De Gea's goal, but it was the easiest of stops for the United keeper to make.
70 min United's best spell of the second half as they manage to keep the ball in the opposition half for a couple of minutes. The Red Devils do not look like scoring, but nor do Liverpool, even if the Reds have bossed possession.
68 min United have finally decided to venture forward! Young sends in a brilliant cross from the left, which Fellaini would have headed in at the back post if not for a vital Robertson clearance. Good defending from the Scottish full-back.
66 min Following a string of disappointing deliveries, Van Dijk is picked out on the edge of the box. The Dutchman's drive is deflected wide of De Gea's goal. Klopp will be keen to see his side maintain this pressure.
64 min Not a lot happening at the moment. Liverpool are probing away but they have 10 bodies to get through before reaching De Gea. Klopp may well be tempted to turn to his bench for the remaining 25 minutes or so.
62 min Man United have yet to record a shot of any sort in the second half. The Red Devils are clearly happy to hold onto what they have, having netted from pretty much their only chance of the match. A corner is worked to the back post, where Young is there to clear.
60 min Lovren, perhaps frustrated after seeing his side dominate possession without finding a way through in this second half, sends a shot sailing over the crossbar. The tempo has again dropped, which Mourinho will be very pleased about.
58 min United started this second half pretty well, but all of a sudden Liverpool are finding plenty of gaps again. A similar story to the first half, and on that occasion the pressure finally told when Mane found a way through.
56 min A stoppage in play now as Bailly landed awkwardly in the box. The Ivorian centre-back is getting some treatment off the pitch and looks as though he will continue. If not it may well be that we see Jones for the final half an hour.
54 min Fellaini had a pretty simple ball in behind to release Lingard into space, but he hits it out of play. From the next move, Firmino gets away from a few players with some brilliant footwork and tests De Gea down low with his poked shot.
52 min The Red Devils are looking a lot more balanced in the second half thanks to the arrival of Fellaini, helping to plug some gaps in midfield. Herrera lunges in on Salah out on the Liverpool left, getting none of the ball to concede a free kick.
50 min Just like the first half, the intensity is very high early in the second period. United are giving as good as they have got in what has been an evenly-matched five minutes or so. A cross into the United box is cleared away by Darmian.
48 min Rashford appeared to run out of room but still somehow pulled the ball back into a dangerous position, where Lukaku should have been waiting. Liverpool counter but the move comes to a disappointing end, as Clyne's delivery is blocked by Young.
46 min Liverpool get us back underway at Anfield, where there is news of a half-time change. Mourinho has brought on Fellaini for Dalot, so we could see a change in formation. Fingers crossed for similar entertainment over the next 45 minutes!
Referee Martin Atkinson brings an entertaining first half to a close at Anfield. Mane edged the home side in front with his first goal in six Premier League matches 24 minutes in, only for Lingard to level things up for United completely against the run of play. All to play for in the second half!
45+2 min LIVERPOOL 1-1 MANCHESTER UNITED
45 min United have looked a lot more balanced since scoring against the run of play. Herrera gets a shot away from distance, which took a deflection on its way through, but he perhaps would have been better off sliding in a teammate.
43 min Firmino barges into Rashford to halt the United counter. The Brazilian, who lost the ball in the build-up, is lucky to avoid a caution for that. A couple of minutes to go in what has been a gripping first half an Anfield.
41 min Lukaku goes in hard on Keita and earns a yellow card. The ball was there to be won, so you cannot blame the Belgian for diving in, but his foot was up slightly so the booking was right. Not a red for me, though.
39 min Good footwork from Fabinho on the edge of the box, allowing him to tee up Mane for the shot. The effort from 20 yards lacked both power and precision, however, and it was a straightforward stop for De Gea to make down the middle.
37 min Alisson will no want to see that one back. The Brazilian did gather Lukaku's low cross, but the ball then struck his own knee and fell into the path of Lingard to score his first away league goal since New Year's Day. What a game we have on our hands now!
35 min He was hailed as the world's best keeper following his late save against Napoli earlier this year, but this was an absolute shocker from Alisson. Lukaku's cross from the left was a straightforward one to catch, only for the Brazilian to let the ball slip out of his grasp. Lingard stuck out a leg to help the loose ball over the line from close range, and United are level against the run of play.
34 min LIVERPOOL 1-1 MANCHESTER UNITED (JESSE LINGARD)
33 min Liverpool win a sixth corner of the first half, but this latest delivery is pretty poor. The Reds lead 1-0 thanks to Mane's well-taken goal 24 minutes in, set up by a deep pass from Fabinho. United have had just one shot of note all afternoon.
32 min United's backline is incredibly flat and very deep. The result of that is Liverpool are able to sustain their pressure, without the threat of being hit on the counter. These United tactics are not working - not for the fist time this season.
30 min Five Premier League games without a goal was the longest Mane had gone in Liverpool colours. That strike will do his confidence the world of good, giving Liverpool a platform to build on. United need to step things up in the remaining hour.
28 min Diogo Dalot clips the heels of Andrew Robertson to concede a free kick and pick up the game's first yellow card. The ball is worked back into the middle by Firmino, but Lovren fires over the crossbar from a promising position. Not an easy one, but a chance all the same.
26 min What a way to end your eight-game drought without a goal! Mane controls Fabinho's deep pass with his chest and places it under the body of De Gea from six yards. Young stood off, but full credit to Mane for his composure. The Reds finally have a home league goal to celebrate against United!
25 min LIVERPOOL 1-0 MANCHESTER UNITED (SADIO MANE)
23 min The visitors are again looking disjointed this afternoon. The ball goes long to Lukaku, who is unable to control it under pressure from Lovren and Robertson. Liverpool, in comparison, look threatening whenever the ball is played forward.
21 min Man United have got their wish - the tempo of the game has slowed right down. Liverpool have been pretty dominant, but with nearly a quarter of the contest played the teams are starting to cancel each other out.
19 min STAT! Liverpool recorded seven shots in the opening 14 minutes of the match, five of which were from outside the box. Lukaku has had three touches of the ball, two of those inside his own box.
17 min United are being outrun in the middle of the park. The pressure from Liverpool is pretty relentless - surely we will have a goal in this Anfield fixture for the first time in three meetings? The visitors will be keen to slow the tempo down.
15 min The tempo of this match is pretty incredible. That is largely thanks to Liverpool swarming forward in numbers when they get on the ball. United have had an opening of their own early on - Rashford seeing a long-range drive kept out by Alisson.
13 min United's goal is under siege! Salah's shot from the edge of the box is saved by De Gea, who urges his teammates to calm down. Darmian scuffed a clearance behind for a corner, with the United defence looking rattled at the moment.
11 min Alisson and De Gea have both had a save to make early on, then, with both teams looking to attack when they can. Liverpool have more control of the ball and look lively whenever they attack. Salah and Mane both fail to get a shot away inside the box and Fabinho then blasted inches wide with a deflected effort from outside the area.
9 min A good attempt from Firmino, whose well-struck shot forced De Gea into making a save at full-stretch - that was heading for the bottom corner. United respond well, with Rashford getting away a long-range shot which was hit right at Alisson.
7 min A teasing ball towards the back post is helped behind by Matic, who wanted De Gea to come out and gather it. A good feel to this match early on as both sides have started well. The corner is guided wide of the target by Firmino from 12 yards.
5 min United defend the corner but are prevented from mounting a counter-attack. A Young free kick from the left goes right the way through and ends up in the back of the net, but Lukaku swung for the ball and was a good couple of yards offside.
3 min Confirmation that it is a back three for United, even with that late change to their starting lineup. Good play from Salah when charging at the United backline, before laying it off for Firmino, whose shot is blocked behind for a corner.
1 min What an atmosphere at Anfield! Manchester United, a whopping 16 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League table ahead of the busy festive fixtures, get us underway for the 201st meeting between these arch-rivals.
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