With their passage secured to the next round of the Carabao Cup in midweek, Liverpool return their attention to the Premier League as they look to maintain their five-point lead at the summit against top-flight new boys Sheffield United.
Jurgen Klopp's younger-than-average side triumphed 2-0 over Milton Keynes Dons on Wednesday and now head east to Yorkshire to square off with the Blades at Bramall Lane this Saturday.
Chris Wilder's team, however, have proven to be something of a surprise package in their first year back following their promotion from the Championship, and they'll be looking to notch up consecutive wins over Merseyside clubs after shocking Everton last weekend.
| Game | Sheffield United vs Liverpool |
| Date | Saturday, September 28 |
| Time | 12:30pm BST / 7:30am ET |
| Stream (US) | fubo TV (7-day free trial) |
TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch
For UK readers, get your fix on the latest football on TV here! US readers can find out what soccer is on TV here!
In the United States (US), the game can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (7-day free trial).
New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.
| US TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| NBCSN | fubo TV (7-day free trial) |
In the UK, the match will be shown on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate. It will be available to stream on BT Sport Live.
| UK TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| BT Sport 1 / BT Sport Live | BT Sport Live |
Squads & Team News
| Position | Sheffield United squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Henderson, Verrips, Moore |
| Defenders | Baldock, Stevens, O'Connell, Basham, Jagielka, Egan, Freeman, Stearman |
| Midfielders | Fleck, Lundstram, Freeman, Morrison, Norwood, Besic, Bryan, Osborn |
| Forwards | McBurnie, Robinson, McGoldrick, Mousset |
Confirmed Sheffield XI: Henderson; Basham, Egan, O'Connell; Baldock, Lundstram, Norwood, Fleck, Stevens; Robinson, McBurnie
| Position | Liverpool squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Adrian, Kelleher, Lonergan |
| Defenders | Van Dijk, Matip, Lovren, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Gomez, Hoever, Van den Berg |
| Midfielders | Henderson, Milner, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Keita, Elliott, Chirivella, Souza |
| Forwards | Salah, Firmino, Mane, Origi, Brewster |
Confirmed Liverpool XI: Adrian; TAA, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane
Betting & Match Odds
Liverpool are odds-on at 1/3 to preserve their perfect league record at bet365. Sheffield United meanwhile are priced at 8/1 while the draw is 17/4.
Match Preview
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There's still a long way to go on the road to the Premier League crown, but Liverpool could be forgiven for thinking they currently hold the cards in the title race as they head to Sheffield United this weekend.
Jurgen Klopp's team sit five points clear of reigning holders and main rivals Manchester City with six games gone, having failed to drop points on any occasion so far in the top-flight.
They will, of course be, still highly conscious of how they let a lead at the top of the pile slip last season in a pulsating battle with Pep Guardiola's team, but coupled with their Champions League success in June, optimism is surely one of the few ways with which to view their prospects.
The fine form of Liverpool's general starting XI this season, however, has seen chances limited for others, with England international Joe Gomez finding himself relegated to the bench for the most part.
Though he featured in the Carabao Cup in midweek against MK Dons, the 22-year-old has otherwise been restricted to few minutes on the whole.
With next year's European Championships looming, the centre-back says that he is prepared to fight his way back into the team in order to still figure in international contention.
"I have to play for my clubs like other players are," he stated. "If you meet up with England you are expected to be playing so I have to keep working hard.
“Every footballer wants to be playing. It's frustrating for me. At the same time I understand we are the European champions and the lads are doing well at the minute. Credit to them. All I can do is keep my head down and keep working hard.”
Sheffield, meanwhile, will be looking to shrug off their shock Carabao Cup exit against Sunderland by springing an upset at home, having got the better of Everton at Goodison Park last week - though they are aware of the magnitude of the task ahead.
Blades boss Chris Wilder joked in his pre-match press conference about how he planned to combat the sheer muscle and threat of the Reds' visiting attack, but admitted that he was hoping their strikers had an off-day to help his side.
"It might not turn into a back three, it might turn into a back 10 or a back 11," he stated.
"They've caused better sides than us untold problems in terms of where they move the ball around the pitch and where they attack with pace and with quality.
"Hopefully they don't show as much quality [as] over the last two or three years that has got them the results and got them success.
"You hope they have an off day and we get amongst them, make it uncomfortable and we try and drive the game forward when we have the opportunity to."
