Leech wants to see gospel spread

Sky Sports have put tomorrow’s meeting of Manchester United and Liverpool at the centre of what they are calling ‘Rivalry Weekend’.

For reasons of history and proximity, the clash of the Red Empires has long been its own best advertisement but, since not even the marketing masters can pretend that this latest version will have any bearing on the 2018 title race, the best they can do in the build-up is to to try to suggest that silver is almost as good as gold.

Or as the broadcaster’s promotional blurb puts it: “With second place still very much up for grabs and the duo just one point apart, there will be an added edge this time around.”