Manchester United 1-1 Liverpool: Premier League as it happened

Full-time: Manchester United 1-1 Liverpool

What a chance for Wijnaldum to win it! Again on the counter, Lallana turns inside the box to find the overlapping Dutchman free, but his meek effort is sent straight at De Gea.

Herrera cynically hauls back Firmino to halt a counter attack and the Liverpool man responds by shoving the Spaniard to the ground. Both men get a yellow for their trouble. Four minutes of time added on.

The Old Trafford crowd howls for hand ball as Rooney flicks the ball at Alexander-Arnold but it clearly comes off the chest of the Liverpool defender.

United are level! Valencia looks half a yard offside as he swings in a cross from the right, finding Rooney who clips a ball into Fellaini. His header is just off target, bouncing off the outside of the post but Ibrahimovic is following it up, hacking it over line to level the contest. Five minutes remain.

Goal! Manchester United 1-1 Liverpool (Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 83)

Rooney denied his record! He lashes a knockdown from Mata on goal but Mignolet makes an important stop with his legs. The offside flag is up, but the United skipper was clearly onside.

Marcus Rashford won't get a chance to come on and rescue his side today, Marouane Fellaini comes on for Darmian.

Liverpool almost get a second and it is Pogba at fault again. He tries to backheel to a teammate on the half-way line but it is easily intercepted and the counter attack comes, with Wijnaldum heading over at the end of it.

18 minutes left for United to rescue something here.

Klavane is down at the moment getting some treatment after a nasty challenge from Rooney. Duelling for a 50-50 ball, the United skipper appeared to tread on the Liverpool defender's right foot.

Rojo sees his clearance inside the box bounce off one of his teammates into Lallana who turns and fires, but his effort is stopped by De Gea.

Here's United's second change of the match, Juan Mata enters the fray to replace Martial.

United continue to turn the screw. Mkhitaryan slides a cleverly disguised ball into Rooney but he drags his shot woefully wide.

Straight away, Coutinho is involved, driving at the United defence down the inside left channel before flicking a ball through for the onrushing Frimino. He shoots for goal, but de Gea is out to make an important block.

Here's Liverpool's first change of the game, Philippe Coutinho comes on for Origi.

Liverpool are pinned back at then moment but United are still struggling to find that telling ball to pick through.

Valencia now threads a ball down the right for Rooney, who turns and fires across goal but it is an easy collect for Mignolet.

Martial does well to win the ball from Alexander Arnold and force the ball onto Ibrahimovic. He slides a ball through for Mkhitaryan who has come racing down the inside right channel but his cross back across the face of goal has too much on it and Martial cannot get on the end of it.

Having been taken off marking Lovren, Pogba meet the corner to head it away before Herrera wins a free kick for his side. Up the other end, Rooney earns a free kick for his side.

Liverpool have started this half sharper on the counter with Origi seeing his curling effort from the left deflected just wide.

United are making a change at half-time; Wayne Rooney on to replace Michael Carrick.

Half-time: Manchester United 0-1 Liverpool

The Reds lead through James Milner's penalty. Manchester United, and more specifically, Paul Pogba, have been wretched.

For the fifth time today, Lovren easily loses Pogba as Liverpool lift a set piece into the box. It's quite unbelievable that Jose Mourinho hasn't got someone else marking the Liverpool defender.

Mignolet denies Mkhitaryan! Klavan makes a huge mistake, stepping up with the rest of his defence holding their line and Herrera is able to slide a ball through for him. He is forced into a slightly tight angle but his effort on goal is a vicious one that Mignolet is equal to.

United look so vulnerable at the back. Rojo gets on the wrong side of Origi who drives towards goal. He tries to find Firmino but Jones just about hacks it out of his path.

Pogba is cutting a frustrated figure at the moment, he gives away another silly free kick.

Ibrahimovic absolutely hammers it through the wall but Mignolet somehow gets down in time to parry it away.

United have a free kick right on the edge of the box. From a United corner, Herrera scampers in front of Origi but is cut but the raised challenge from the Belgian. Big chance for Pogba to redeem himself here?

Lovren lunges in on Anthony Martial and he is shown a yellow card.

Liverpool take the lead! Paul Pogba has had an underwhelming start to this game and he's just panicked in the Liverpool box, sticking his arm out as he jumps to reach a cross. It hits his arm and Michael Oliver has no hesitation pointing the spot where James Milner hammers home.

Goal! Manchester United 0-1 Liverpool (James Milner, 26)

PENALTY - Liverpool

Huge let off for Phil Jones. He dallies on the ball just in front of his goal and Firmino nicks the ball of him. He shifts it onto Lallana who has arrived in support but Rojo is there to rescue him.

The ball pinballs around the United box as the home side fail to clear before Origi finally has the chance to shoot, but his effort is miss hit and De Gea can comfortably collect.

Liverpool win a free kick out on the right.

Ander Herrera's brilliant pressing led to that United chance. He has been doing that to tremendous effect all season.

Pogba should score. Mkhitaryan plays a beautiful pass through for the Frenchman, with Martial's clever run drawing the defenders out of his path. He holds off a challenge from Lovren to work the ball onto his left foot, but he scuffs his effort and drags it wide.

A sloppy back pass from Lovren almost allows Ibrahimovic in and when Mignolet's clearance cannons off the bit Swede, the ball almost drops into the net. Luckily for Liverpool, it bounces onto the roof of the net.

Pogba feels he is fouled in midfield but play continues with Can driving forward, moving the ball wide to Lallana. He shifts a pass back to Aexander-Arnold but his cross from the right is wildly overhit.

Martial is involved again, cutting in from the left before scooping a cross over to Ibrahimovic who is racing towards the far post. Mignolet doesn't come for it but luckily for him, the cross is just out of the striker's reach.

Martial is looking menacing. He jinks past two Liverpool shirts to break into the box but loses his footing as he shifts past Lovren.

Klavan arrows a simple pass straight out of play to give possession back to United.

No chances yet as we hit the 10-minute mark.

Martial gets to know Alexander-Arnold with a brilliant nutmeg out on the left. He beats the youngster for a second time in succession before he is eventually crowded out by Liverpool shirts.

United drive at Liverpool for the first time through Martial down the left, he moves the ball to the over flank for Valencia. He lofts a cross into the box looking for Ibrahimovic but Lovren does well to head away.

From Liverpool's second successive corner, De Gea strides out confidently to collect the ball.

Valencia tries to let the ball roll out of play out on the right but Origi scampers out side of him to beat him to it, driving inside. Lallana is waiting inside the box but Origi settles for a corner.

And Liverpool get us started at Old Trafford.

Pogba has got a fresh cut just for today.

Here's another quick look at the starting XIs before we get started.

Manchester United team to face Liverpool: De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Darmian; Carrick, Herrera, Mkhitaryan, Pogba, Martial; Ibrahimovic.

Subs: Romero, Blind, Smalling, Fellaini, Mata, Rashford, Rooney

Liverpool team to face Manchester United: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Klavan, Milner, Henderson, Can, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Firmino, Origi

Subs: Karius, Gomez, Moreno, Stewart, Ejaria, Coutinho, Sturridge

Here we go; both teams are on their way out onto the pitch. Minutes from kick-off.

A win for United this afternoon will move them level on points with City, but after the hammering Pep Guardiola's side just took, taking fifth place off them is now an (albeit faint) possibly.

After shipping four at Goodison Park, City's goal difference is just three better off than United's.

Pep Guardiola has had better days. Everton have hammered his Manchester City side 4-0 at Goodison Park with new signing Ademola Lookman coming off the bench later on to put the icing on the cake with a superb late strike.

Manchester United can now move level with their nieghbours with a win this afternoon.

Jose Mourinho can choose his new first-choice partnership of Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo with the Argentine fit again after a muscular injury. Matteo Darmian is preferred at left-back over Daley Blind with Luke Shaw still unavailable. The midfield trio of Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba back with Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Anthony Martial supporting Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

If Wayne Rooney is to break Bobby Charlton's record today, he is going to have to do it off the bench.

Liverpool have been rocked not once, but twice ahead of kick-off. While Joel Matip returned to training this week, he will not play today due to an eligibility row with Cameroon and Fifa. While fans were still reeling from that news, it then emerged Nathaniel Clyne has been ruled out, with 18-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold to make his first start in place of him.

Philippe Coutinho returned but mid-week but only makes the bench today. And after a disappointing evening on Wednesday, Daniel Sturridge drops out of the starting XI, with Divock Origi coming in.

There is some good news for Liverpool, however; Jordan Henderson is back to captain his side.

Liverpool team to face Manchester United: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Klavan, Milner, Henderson, Can, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Firmino, Origi

Subs: Karius, Gomez, Moreno, Stewart, Ejaria, Coutinho, Sturridge

Manchester United team to face Liverpool: De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Darmian; Carrick, Herrera, Mkhitaryan, Pogba, Martial; Ibrahimovic.

Subs: Romero, Blind, Smalling, Fellaini, Mata, Rashford, Rooney

BREAKING: Marcos Rojo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic return to the Manchester United starting XI having overcome injury and illness respectively. Wayne Rooney drops to the bench.

BREAKING: Trent Alexander-Arnold comes in for the injured Nathaniel Clyne. Ragnar Klavan continues at centre-half alongside Dejan Lovren with Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge starting on the bench.

BREAKING: Nathaniel Clyne also ruled out of today's match due to rib injury.

That's certainly shaken things up ahead of kick-off. Will Ragnar Klavan continue at the back next to Dejan Lovren? We'll find out any minute now...

Going back as far as September, Joel Matip has stressed he will not play for Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations - one of seven players to do so. Cameroon went ahead and named in their provisional squad anyway but the row looked to be diffused when he was left out of the final squad.

The Cameroonian Football Federation had warned however it could take action against the Liverpool defender if he continued to ignore its calls, accusing the players of wanting "to privilege their personal interest to the detriment of the national team".

"The Cameroonian Football Federation reserves the right to take action against these layers in accordance with Fifa regulations," a strongly-worded statement added.

Having named the Liverpool defender in their provisional squad, Cameroon have "failed to confirm that Matip can therefore play club football during the period of the Africa Cup of Nations."

In simple terms, Matip is not allowed to play today, despite Liverpool's best efforts to resolve the matter with Fifa. It's all very messy indeed.

Full statement:

BREAKING: Liverpool are forced to omit Joel Matip from team today as they continue to seek clarity from FIFA ‎as to the player's eligibility.

In the other Manchester vs Merseyside clash of the day, Manchester City are currently 2-0 behind at Everton with goals from Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas the difference with 35 minutes left there.

A loss for Pep Guardiola's side is good news for both Liverpool and Manchester United. A City win would see Jurgen Klopp's side fall out of the top four, where they would stay if they lose to their arch-rivals later. If things stay as they are at Goodison, Jose Mourinho''s side can move level points with their nieghbours if they take all three points later today.

Klopp on Coutinho, Henderson and Matip returning to training this week:

They all were in training yesterday [Thursday], so [we have] to wait on how they reacted to the training yesterday then we have to make decisions.

"The last game was only two days ago and so we have to wait for the reaction of those players too and then we make a line-up. But of course they are much closer than they were before any other game in the last few weeks so that's good.

Team news: Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp also has Joel Matip back available once again after his ankle injury.

Team news: Liverpool

Philippe Coutinho returned after six and a half weeks out on Wednesday against Southampton with Jurgen Klopp confirming post-match he had completed his return to action with no problems. Will it be asking too much for him to start this afternoon? Possibly.

So what side can we expect from Jose Mourinho? Michael Carrick seems a certainty to come back into the side, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic to replace Marcus Rashford in attack. Chris Smalling will make way for Marcos Rojo, if the Argentine has been given the green light to return.

Mourinho on Ibrahimovic and Rojo returning:

I think so. I cannot confirm because there is two days left but they are closer to being ready than not ready.

Team news: Manchester United

Zlatan Ibrahimovic missed the 2-0 win over Hull City due to illness with Marcos Rojo also absent that evening having limped off early in the FA Cup win over Reading eight days ago. Will both be ready to return to the starting XI today? Jose Mourinho was optimistic of that happening when he spoke to the press this week.

Manchester United have been on their best run of form since 2009 having won their last nine games in all competitions. Whether it's a testament to how competitive the chase for top four is this season or of just how bad they were for that period in September and October, it hasn't been enough to see them climb into the top four.

A win today could leave them on the cusp of doing just that, and within two points of their arch-rivals. After the drab meeting at Anfield in October, we are hoping for something a bit more interesting today.