Liverpool vs Manchester United (Premier League): odds and picks 19.10.2025

An English classic at Anfield, and not just any old one. It comes at a time when both teams need to make a statement: Liverpool want to show that they are still serious title contenders, while United are looking to rediscover an identity that, at times, seems to be fading. These are games where winning streaks are forgotten, but the current context suggests contrasting fortunes: Arne Slot’s side are competing, while Amorim’s are merely surviving.

Key factors: emotional control and the penalty areas. Liverpool create more and better chances, but lately they have been too forgiving. United, on the other hand, thrive on flashes of individual inspiration and suffer without the ball. If the Reds open the scoring early, I can’t see how the script won’t favour them.

Date, time and where to watch

• Competition: Premier League (Matchday 8)
• Date and time: Sunday 19 October 2025

Odds on the winner

Liverpool: looking to rediscover their scoring touch

Arne Slot’s team, despite some ups and downs, remains highly competitive. They are second in the Premier League, with one of the most productive attacks in the league (averaging more than two goals per game). What they are struggling with most is closing out games: they concede avoidable goals, especially from second balls or crosses.

Even so, Anfield remains a fortress. At home, the Reds have not lost since April 2024 and average more than 20 shots per game. Slot has continued the DNA of pressure and verticality, with a team that plays very high up the pitch and attacks with a lot of players.

Salah is in good form, scoring or assisting almost every game, and Szoboszlai has become a modern metronome, combining energy with judgement. The weak point remains the defensive transition: when the opposition manages to break cleanly, they suffer.

In the last five matches (all competitions):

• 3 wins, 1 draw, 1 defeat.
  
• They have scored in all of them, but only kept a clean sheet once.

The feeling is clear: Liverpool are in better form, but they still need to regain the solidity that used to strike fear into their opponents.

Manchester United: surviving rather than competing

United are at the point where the badge carries more weight than performance. Amorim is trying to give them a modern structure, with a more dynamic team, but he has yet to find the right balance. They struggle to create sustained chances — they rely too much on Bruno Fernandes — and defensively they are easily disrupted.

They struggle away from home: so far this season, they have won only one away game and concede more than 1.5 goals on average away from Old Trafford. In addition, they have a recurring problem: they start games badly, which can be lethal against a team like Liverpool.

Their last five matches show the rollercoaster ride the club is on:

• two wins, one draw and two defeats.
  
• In the wins, Garnacho shone in space; in the defeats, the defence was in chaos.

The fact that worries me most about United is that they have only kept a clean sheet in one of their last seven games, and against an opponent with Liverpool’s attacking power, that usually comes at a price.

Recent encounters

The freshest memory at Anfield still hurts United: that 7–0 defeat in March 2023, one of the heaviest defeats in their modern history. Since then, Liverpool have won three of the last four home games, with an overwhelming goal difference.

Historically, United dominate the overall record, but the recent cycle has been completely red. In the most recent classics, Klopp’s (now Slot’s) side have managed the tempo and emotions better.

Summary: key points

• Liverpool are second, with a lethal attack but a defence that concedes.
• United are 10th, inconsistent and weak away from home.
• Salah and Szoboszlai in great form; Garnacho and Bruno the few bright spots for United.
• Anfield, an emotional and footballing fortress.
• Odds: Liverpool 1.65 / Draw 4.50 / United 5.20.

My prediction

My opinion: I see a more mature Liverpool, despite their mistakes. United will need a heroic performance from Onana and Bruno to get a point. If the scoring starts early, it could be a long afternoon for Amorim’s side.