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Most of the time, rivalries peak when the two parties are fighting for the biggest prizes. Think Coe and Ovett, Benn and Eubank, Corrigan and Usborne. But their battles can be equally compelling when one or both are struggling and the stakes are not as high; ask anybody who watched, for example, the unforgettable 3-3 draw between a shambolic Liverpool and a rampant Manchester United at Anfield in January 1994.

The current, contrasting struggles of Liverpool and Manchester United have been the main source of fascination – and hype – ahead of today’s game. Liverpool are a) the defending champions and b) on a run of three straight defeats. United are a) in the bottom half of the table again and b) playing slightly better than their results would suggest.

This fixture could be the perfect palate cleanser for Liverpool and especially Mo Salah, who has a spectacular record against United. But United will take heart from last season’s 2-2 draw, when they produced their best performance under Ruben Amorim; today they’re hoping to win consecutive league games under him for the...