Manchester United must overcome a huge psychological hurdle as well as an injury crisis and their own weaknesses against Liverpool… the stats are damning and all point to more Anfield misery for Erik ten Hag’s men

Manchester United will not only be battling Liverpool, an injury crisis and their own shortcomings when they visit Anfield on Sunday.

They will also have to overcome psychological hurdles as their arch-rivals' home has become a place of nightmares lately.

After a week in which United were humiliated 3-0 at home by Bournemouth and crashed out of Europe, the last thing Erik ten Hag needs is a trip down the M62 to Merseyside.

They face a dynamic Liverpool team who sit at the top of the Premier League, unbeaten in nine league matches and determined to rub United's noses even further in the sand.

United also have to deal with up to 11 absentees, whether through injury, suspension or simply banishment to the reserves.

Their debilitating injury list was worsened in Tuesday night's defeat to Bayern Munich, when Harry Maguire left with a groin injury and Luke Shaw picked up a hamstring problem.

However, Ten Hag confirmed on Friday that Shaw should make the match, while Maguire will be on the sidelines for a few games.

Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial both missed due to illness, with only the former fit on Sunday.

Captain Bruno Fernandes has been suspended after handing himself his fifth yellow card of the season during the Bournemouth debacle.

Given the Portuguese midfielder's sulky behavior when United went down 7-0 to Liverpool in March, that could be a blessing in disguise.

Of course, Jadon Sancho remains an outcast, and other injured players include Tyrell Malacia, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Christian Eriksen, Mason Mount, Victor Lindelof and Amad Diallo.

But it is not just a physical challenge for United, it is also primarily a mental challenge.

Rarely will their fans turn out for a match where Liverpool are so despondent about their team's chances of winning. The statistics surrounding the fixture only support this gloomy mood.

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last seven Premier League home games against United, winning four of them.

United last came away from Anfield with three points on January 17, 2016, when Wayne Rooney's goal gave Louis van Gaal's side a 1-0 victory. Since then, a tremendous amount of water has flowed under the bridge.

More relevant is the fact that Liverpool won the last two meetings there 11-0.

There was that seven-goal run last season, a curious match in which Liverpool were only 1-0 up at half-time after United had been top – and a 4-0 humiliation in April last year, with Ralf Rangnick in charge.

The last time Liverpool had a better home run against United was during the heyday of the 1970s, when they were unbeaten nine times in a row.

That seven-goal loss last season was the worst in United's entire history and must have left a mental scar on the players involved.

Worryingly, United have failed to score on their last four visits to Anfield. Jesse Lingard was the last to score there on December 16, 2018, in a 3-1 defeat.

That match proved to be the final blow for Jose Mourinho and Ten Hag will hope and pray that this is not his swan song on Sunday, even if it appears his job is safe for the time being.

The last time United failed to score against a league opponent for an extended period was six games against Everton between 1969 and 1974.

Considering we're already looking at a case of damage limitation, it's not exactly ideal for United that Liverpool are averaging three goals per game at home this season – the highest ever in the Premier League.

There are also clear signs that the pendulum has swung from United to Liverpool in their rivalry.

Although Liverpool have lost more Premier League games (29) and conceded more goals (81) against United than any other team, they have also recorded 19 wins against them (the most along with Arsenal and Manchester City).

But recent history is more important and Liverpool have actually lost just three of their last seventeen meetings with United in all competitions (seven wins, seven draws).

Like many opponents, the tables have turned since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, and not in a positive way for United.

As usual, Mohamed Salah will be one of Liverpool's biggest threats and the Egyptian will enjoy playing against United.

Salah has scored 12 goals in 12 games against the Red Devils, more than against any other team, and he also has four assists.

Recent encounters with the striker have been particularly painful for United.

In the 2021/22 season, he scored a hat-trick at Old Trafford in the 5-0 win over Liverpool, before scoring twice in the aforementioned 4-0 at Anfield.

Last season he scored a consolation in a 2-1 defeat in Manchester before picking up two goals and two assists in that 7-0 thrashing.

Salah has scored nine times and provided four assists in his last five games against United and will no doubt be licking his lips at the thought of taking charge of their makeshift defense next Sunday.

With all that in mind, it's perhaps no wonder that Liverpool's odds of winning on Sunday are a very high 74 percent, while United's are just 11 percent.

Adversity can sometimes lead to fighting qualities, but the hard truth is that all indications are that United will have another grumpy afternoon at Anfield this weekend.