Despite not being in the running for the Premier League title this year, Man United will be looking to win some silverware and this is the competition they have a fighting chance with.

Jurgen Klopp’s players know that the German is leaving at the end of the season and they will do everything they can to make his final season a good one as they march on for more trophies.

Here at Vodacom Soccer, we take a look into the five key battles between the two sides, on and off the pitch.

Erik ten Hag vs Jurgen Klopp

The two managers set their teams up in a very different way to one another, which will make the upcoming game so interesting in terms of who dominates and has better chances.

United tend to set up in a mid-block rather than pressing high up the field, almost waiting for the opposition to come to them.

This utilises the strong midfield options United have and allows the forward players to conserve their energy for when they attack.

When in possession, United would rather play the ball long and over the top for the forwards to chase rather than short, neat passes in the final third. This allows the attackers to use their pace and skill to their advantage.

Klopp sets his men up in a very different way. Liverpool’s tactics involve a high-intensity press when the opposition gets the ball and quick transitions, helping Liverpool break away when winning the ball.

They also like to play intricate passes in the final third and overload the opposition with a surplus of attacking players, which helps them create good chances.

These tactics outline that Liverpool will likely have the majority of possession during the game.

United will, however, be able to break on the counter-attack with their long balls due to the quantity of players Liverpool commit forward.

The Battle of midfield

The midfield is always a huge battle in any match but especially with these sides, who both rely heavily on their midfield in order to play the way they want.

United need their midfield to be full of energy and able to play with superior accuracy when playing the long ball over the top of the opposition defence for the forward to run on to.

The mid-block system they use means that the midfielders such as Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro need to be defensively solid and quick to turn the ball over when given the chance.

Liverpool’s midfield is regaining some strength as Ryan Gravenberch is reportedly back in training and with the international break coming up, Liverpool are expected to go for a full-strength side.

The high press from Liverpool needs to be started from the attack but the midfield remains incredibly useful in the off-the-ball movement and ensuring a quick turnover in possession.

Liverpool’s attacking threats also come in midfield from the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, who will join the attack as part of the overload on the United defence.

This means that the midfield for Liverpool will need to be constantly switched on as they support when breaking down United’s mid-block whilst also providing an attacking threat.

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Manchester United’s defence vs Liverpool’s attack

A match-up which some might argue differs heavily in quality is the attack of Liverpool when faced with the defence of Manchester United.

With Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw all out for the foreseeable future, United have a more makeshift defence than they would want, however they can be optimistic about the possible return of Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Centre-back Victor Lindelof will likely take the left-back spot with Raphael Varane and Maguire occupying the centre of the defence, with Diogo Dalot maintaining the right-back position.

The standout name from the defence is Varane with a plethora of elite-level experience - and his leadership and command of the defence will be crucial to nullifying Liverpool’s attack.

Liverpool are expected to name their strongest XI for this game with Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah all expected to start.

With the likes of Harvey Elliot and Cody Gakpo in the squad, Liverpool are inundated with high-quality attacking options which can cause the United defence serious problems.

Salah, as everyone knows, is renowned for his performances during high-pressure matches and this is certainly one we could expect the tricky Egyptian to make a big impact on.

His directness, pace and skill on the ball should be enough to get the better of Lindelof, who his match-up for the majority of the match will likely be.

Alongside the reputation of the attackers of Liverpool, they have the numbers to back it up and have just come out of a European match against Sparta Prague when they scored four goals in only 14 minutes - lethal.

Darwin Nunez vs Manchester United’s defence

Liverpool striker Nunez is an incredibly dangerous attacker, and it could be argued his unpredictability plays into that threat nicely despite his inconsistencies.

With 14 goals to his name for the season, we know he is a threat when in front of goal and his movement off the ball makes defenders track him, allowing space for the likes of Salah and Diaz to move into.

The defenders tipped to start for United are more than capable of dealing with the aerial threats which are supplied by the likes of Virgil van Dijk in the Liverpool side.

However they may struggle to cope with the running capabilities of Nunez, who is undoubtedly faster than everyone in the defensive line and will look to use that.

United’s defence will need to be wary of this and drop off a yard or two in order to ensure he is kept under wraps and can’t use his pace to its full extent.

By doing this, however, it will allow more space for Liverpool to attack and utilise their overload from the midfield.

Nunez’s speed in the high press is also an effective tool against the United defence, who are going to need to pass the ball quickly into the midfield and around the press to avoid being caught out in a dangerous position.

The return of Rasmus Hojlund

Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund hit terrific form during February, scoring in every game he played that month.

This extended his record to six matches which makes him the youngest to reach this tally ever - and Manchester United have him back after a short injury.

His return will greatly benefit the United attack due to his prolific scoring nature and if he is able to return to his previous form, he should have a significant impact on the game.

Hojlund’s greatest strength is his ability to move quickly into great scoring positions which the wingers such as Marcus Rashford and Antony can hit with quality crosses.

This means the Liverpool defence will need to martial the young striker and by doing so, will leave gaps for the other attacking players to use their skills and make themselves and those around them space.

Van Dijk has the aerial ability to dominate Hojlund but with United’s attacking options on the pitch, including the wingers and likely an attacker just off Hojlund, the Liverpool defenders will have a lot to think about.

Follow Manchester United vs Liverpool in Vodacom Soccer’s Match Centre.

FA Cup analysis: Manchester United vs Liverpool - Five key battles