Manchester United v Liverpool: Back a tight game in near 5/1 Bet Builder

• Liverpool battling on four fronts

• United's impressive cup record

• Read about Betfair's 90 minute payout offer here

Manchester United v Liverpool
Sunday, 15:30
ITV1

The four FA Cup quarter-finals are all interesting for their own reasons, but it's hard to look past Manchester United's meeting with Liverpool.

The Premier League big-hitters have faced off in multiple cup ties since United edged the 1996 final thanks to an Eric Cantona goal. Most recently, United claimed a fourth-round victory in the 2020-21 edition of the competition, with Mohamed Salah's double for Liverpool not enough to prevent a 3-2 reverse.

Both had welcome results in their most recent Premier League outings, with both facing their weekend opponents' local rivals. United beat Everton on Saturday, with Liverpool recovering to claim a point against title rivals Manchester City the following day before demolishing Sparta Prague on Thursday night.

United on top

Manchester United have won 10 of their 15 FA Cup meetings with Liverpool, including the aforementioned 2021 meeting. The last time a tie went the way of the Merseyside club was back in 2012, with Dirk Kuyt scoring a late winner in a 2-1 Reds victory.

Liverpool are 3/41.75 to win in normal time on Sunday and 5/42.25 to lead at the break - something which was comfortably the case during their midweek European game. If they do so, they'll want to go one better than in 2012, when they were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea at Wembley.

United are [3/1 to win in regulation time against their rivals as they look to make it to the Wembley semi. Both teams have recent Wembley experience, with Liverpool winning last month's Carabao Cup and United losing to Manchester City in last season's FA Cup final.

Liverpool spreading the goals around

In three FA Cup outings this season, Liverpool have seen eight different players find the net, not including an own goal from Arsenal's Jakub Kiwior in round three. The only player with more than one cup goal for the club is Jayden Danns, who scored two from the bench against Southampton in the fourth round and is 9/52.80 to net at Old Trafford.

They also spread the goals around when they beat United in the league last season, with four different men netting in a 7-0 victory. Cody Gakpo opened the scoring that day, and is 21/103.10 to become the ninth different Liverpool player to net in this season's FA Cup - matching their 2011-12 return.

If the hosts are to score, Bruno Fernandes could be key. The Portuguese, who scored a penalty against Everton on Saturday, has five goals and an assist in his last six FA Cup outings and is 15/82.88 to score or assist this time out.

Manchester United v Liverpool prediction

The quadruple dream is still alive for Jürgen Klopp in his final Liverpool season, but this looks set to be a closer affair than his team's last couple of cup outings against second-tier opposition. United haven't gone three games without scoring against Liverpool since 1977, but that's a possibility after last season's 7-0 reverse and a goalless draw in the league this season.

The quarter-final stage has proved fruitful for Liverpool of late, with 17 wins from their last 18 games at this stage of the competition. Curiously, this is only their second quarter-final under Klopp, but the only other one - against Nottingham Forest in 2021-22 - brought a 1-0 win and an eventual run to Wembley glory.

We have our eye on the Bet Builder market for this one, with the amount at stake potentially making for a cagier affair where neither side wants to give up ground... though an early goal for either side could easily throw this up into the air. We're looking at less than 2.5 goals, with Bruno Fernandes and in-form Liverpool man Darwin Núñez each registering one or more shot on target, and this is available at 23/46.75

Now read more of our weekend tips and previews here!