United to besiege fortress Anfield

The sign above the players' tunnel may read 'This is Anfield' but Manchester United FC will need no reminding of where they are as they prepare to take on their great rivals Liverpool FC on Saturday.

Highest tally
United are enjoying a remarkable season, which finds them on top of the Premiership table with a club record tally of 69 points from 28 matches and well-placed to land their ninth Premiership title in 15 years. Sir Alex Ferguson's side are nine points clear of second-placed Chelsea FC and, although they have already played a game more than the champions, the psychological impact of beating their fiercest rivals at Anfield, coupled with a provisional 12-point Premiership lead, cannot be overstated.

Purple patch
Liverpool, though, are enjoying something of a purple patch themselves, having won five of their last seven matches. That sequence has included successes against Chelsea and FC Barcelona and the Reds can also take comfort from an undefeated run of 30 league matches at home. Rafael Benítez's side will also recall that the last time United visited, just over a year ago, Liverpool were 1-0 winners, Peter Crouch's goal proving enough to guide them into last eight of the FA Cup they went on to win.

Extra motivation
Captain Steven Gerrard, who was in the last Liverpool team to defeat United in the Premiership at Anfield in November 2001, said: "Although there are only three points at stake, the game means that extra bit more and we would love to get three points from it." Gerrard shone as Liverpool overran Sheffield United FC 4-0 last weekend while United made heavy weather of their 2-1 victory at Fulham FC, Cristiano Ronaldo coming to the rescue with a winner three minutes from time.

Reading win
Ronaldo has been irrepressible this season, scoring 16 goals, and impressing with his lethal combination of pace, power and dazzling ball skills. "At this moment he's the best player in the world," said team-mate Wayne Rooney. United almost squandered a three-goal lead against Reading FC in an FA Cup fifth-round replay on Tuesday, prompting some to suggest that the league leaders are vulnerable, but Gerrard is not taking any comfort from the performance of an under-strength side. "You have to admire the way that they are playing at the moment," he said. "They're defending really well and that's what people forget."

'Never say die'
One of the mainstays of that defence, England centre-back Rio Ferdinand, knows that only too well, and with confidence high they could be mounting their assault on fortress Anfield at just the right time. "We've got a never-say-die attitude and even if we're drawing or losing a match we always feel we can create chances," said the man who scored the second goal when United beat Liverpool 2-0 at Old Trafford in November. If they can convert a few of those chances on Saturday, the title could be all but won.