United remain champion of champions but the perch looks within Liverpool’s reach

With only 10 weeks remaining in the year, Liverpool go to Old Trafford tomorrow knowing they have never had a better opportunity to finally complete Operation 20:19.

It is not only the absence of a league championship since 1990 that has been haunting the Merseyside giants in the Premier League era but also the hurt of losing their historic title of England’s most successful club — to their most bitter rivals.