The English Premier League is saving the best until last this weekend, with Liverpool v Manchester United on Sunday at 4.30pm undoubtedly the juiciest game on the card.

Always a hostile fixture, this particular renewal at Anfield has the potential to make Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag’s life a real misery. Last weekend’s 3-0 home humbling by Bournemouth was bad enough, but then they crashed out of Europe altogether after losing 1-0 at Old Trafford to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday. Should Jurgen Klopp’s Reds prevail, then they will finish the weekend top of the table and lead United by whopping 13 points.

Ten Hag is clearly under fire but he is not worried about his position at Man Utd. “No, there’s no concern because I’m here to win and I have to make the team play better,” the Dutchman said. “If you play good, even then I say good is not good enough, and now we are inconsistent, so I have to work on that the team is going to play for longer periods in a high level.”

Erling Haaland is likely to miss out for Man City against Crystal Palace.

The fact United are in a state of flux, as the wait for confirmation of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s partial takeover rumbles on, has perhaps given Ten Hag more time than others would have got. Asked what gives him the confidence he retains the backing of everyone at the club, the United boss said: “I feel that (backing), yeah, and they tell it to me. That’s fine and that’s OK, but I’m focusing on the process. I’m focusing on making this team play better. I am focusing on make the individuals better and that’s my concern. That is all I’m doing – focusing on the right thing and that is the team.”

The Red Devils have not been the same since losing 7-0 at Anfield in March, just a week after ending their six-year wait for a trophy by lifting the Carabao Cup. It was a record defeat in this fixture. “I think everyone knows, I think everyone is highly motivated when you go to Anfield,” Ten Hag said. “It’s a great place to go and you know it’s going to be tough. Last year of course we take that in our memory, but you have to also take the benefit from it, learn from it and on Sunday we can prove that.”

Skipper Bruno Fernandes faced particular criticism after March’s Anfield annihilation and will miss the return after picking up a needless fifth booking of the season for dissent. The United captain’s absence compounds an eye-watering list of absentees, including injured Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Tyrell Malacia and Amad Diallo. Mason Mount, Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof have also been laid low recently, while Jadon Sancho remains banished from the first team. Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw went off through injury against Bayern and the former has joined the lengthy list of absentees, which Anthony Martial remains on through illness.

Liverpool are in a much better position, and their manager Jurgen Klopp has paid little attention to United’s current troubles and believes the fact his side were one of the first to expose their weaknesses is of little relevance ahead of Sunday’s encounter. “I never like when the headlines about United are not great before we play because it’s like ‘OK, then it is the game where they can put everything right’,” said Klopp. “The more bad things people say about them, the stronger they will show up. That is always the case. I don’t like that. I don’t follow United closely enough to know exactly what the problem is there but I saw Erik ten Hag was manager of the month last month and saw they were the team in form in the last month so how can it be all wrong?”

Erik ten Hag says he is not feeling the heat at Man Utd.

The top three are all in action on Sunday, with second-placed Arsenal away at Brighton, while Aston Villa travel to Brentford. A lot of talk has been about the Villains’ chances of “doing a Leicester” and winning the league, but their wily manager Unai Emery is having none of it. “I will speak about it (the title race) when we are facing (match) day 30, 32 and in case we will be there maybe I can set this objective in my mind, with the players, with the club and everybody,” Emery said. “But now, we are third and it’s amazing. We are there because we are deserving it. It’s been very, very difficult and the next challenge is on Sunday against Brentford, a very difficult match.”

Champions Manchester City are in action on Saturday, at home to Crystal Palace, but are likely to be without Erling Haaland once again. Their Norwegian star striker is nursing a foot problem and manager Pep Guardiola said: “Haaland arrived today and the doctors will see him and we will see how he feels,” Guardiola said. “I don’t think he will play [against Palace] but maybe he surprises me. The moment he doesn’t have pain he will play.”

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino insists he is “not crazy” for believing in 12th-placed Chelsea’s chances of success despite a growing injury crisis ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Sheffield United. The Blues have seen defenders Marc Cucurella and Reece James and goalkeeper Robert Sanchez all join Pochettino’s list of sidelined talent this week. “I think it’s so exciting, this project,” said Pochettino. “We knew that it was going to be difficult and yet it’s more difficult because of the circumstance. You always expect to have unexpected circumstances, but not a lot. We are suffering after five, six months.”

Newcastle will look to bounce back against Fulham on Saturday at home after crashing out of the Champions League, while Bournemouth v Luton and Burnley v Everton complete the Saturday card, live on Sky Sports at 5.30pm. West Ham v Wolves on Sunday at 2pm, live on Sky before Liverpool v Man Utd.

Premier League preview: Man Utd fear another Liverpool drubbing, Aston Villa calm title talk, Erling Haaland Man City woe