MANCHESTER UNITED VS LIVERPOOL PREVIEW AND BETTING TIPS

Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United side are the favourites for the victory as they head to Anfield on Sunday for a match that simply has to be considered one of the most important of the season so far. With Liverpool's season looking increasingly bleak, this is an absolute must-win for the Scouse side. Can you imagine the mood and atmosphere at Liverpool should they fail to beat United?William Hill lists Manchester United at 6/4 for the outright result while Liverpool are listed at 15/8. The draw can be backed at 11/5, and though we haven't seen many draws this season, it could certainly turn out that way here. I think the first half means a lot. The tone will be set in the first twenty minutes or so and I think United will push forward and try to notch an early goal that they can sit on. If there's one thing that I know about sports, it's that a little poetic justice tends to pop up at moments like this. Could you imagine the crisis at Anfield looking to be resolved as Liverpool fight back from 2-0 down to secure a dramatic 2-2 draw? I can certainly see it, but I can also see somebody popping up in stoppage time to slam the door on the team that turned their backs on him. Enter: Michael Owen. Owen is listed at 6/1 to score first or last and 7/4 to score anytime. He is 40/1 to get the hat-trick, but I'm not sure he'll get the start. I would relish the ability to witness Owen scoring at the Kop end as well. Wayne Rooney still has question marks over top of him, but I think Fergie might be playing a bit of mind games, and we could very well see Rooney on the team-sheet. In fact, I have a feeling that they may not have Rooney train in public on Saturday, just so they can spring a surprise. That would be classic Alex Ferguson. Rooney is 11/2 to score first and last and 6/4 anytime. Fernando Torres is unlikely to play, while Steven Gerrard is also questionable- but I think he'll be on the team-sheet. He is 7/1 to score first or last and 2/1 anytime. Yossi Benayoun has been one of the real bright spots for Liverpool and he is 11/4 anytime and 8/1 first or last. I would list Lucas' odds to score but? well, you know. In terms of the correct score betting, a 1-1 draw is the favoured outcome at 5/1. Man United 1-0 pays out at 6/1 while 1-0 Liverpool is 13/2. That gives you a bit of a clearer picture about how the bookmakers expect this one to turn out. 2-1 to United pays out at 8/1 while 2-1 Liverpool is 17/2. I think Fergie is going to go balls-to-the-wall in this one and really put out a team that is focused on the win. It would be huge for United to pull off the victory. And I'm backing them to do so, heaping pressure on Rafa Benitez. I also think the protest against Hicks and Gillette before the match will unsettle the team, as opposed to fire them up.