Grand Slam Sunday
Sun Dec 16 05:25AM Pacific
Sun Dec 16 06:25AM Mountain
Sun Dec 16 07:25AM Central
Sun Dec 16 08:25AM Eastern
(9:25 TT Time)Length: 2 hr 5 min LIVE
Setanta Sports USA
English Premier League
Liverpool vs
Manchester UnitedSetanta Broadband
Sun Dec 16 08:00AM Pacific
Sun Dec 16 09:00AM Mountain
Sun Dec 16 10:00AM Central
Sun Dec 16 11:00AM Eastern
(12:00pm TT Time)Length: 2 hr LIVE
FOX Soccer Channel (FSC) - US
English Premier League
Arsenal vs Chelsea
Local Based:Grand Slam Sunday lime at
Trotters Sports Bar from 9:15am-2:15pm
Liverpool vs Manchester United
Team News:Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is set to return to the squad after a two month absence with a metatarsal injury.
Defender Steve Finnan is doubtful because of a calf problem while centre-back Daniel Agger remains sidelined with a foot injury.
Sir Alex Ferguson is reporting a clean bill of health, with John O'Shea (abductor strain) the only minor doubt.
Owen Hargreaves has recovered from the calf injury he sustained in the warm-up prior to Saturday's win over Derby.Liverpool from: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Kewell, Gerrard, Mascherano, Benayoun, Alonso, Kuyt, Torres, Aurelio, Babel, Crouch, Finnan, Hobbs, Itandje, Leiva, Voronin, Sissoko.
Manchester United (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Brown, Simpson, Ferdinand, Vidic, Pique, O'Shea, Evra, Ronaldo, Nani, Fletcher, Anderson, Hargreaves, Carrick, Giggs, Rooney, Saha, Tevez.BIG-MATCH FACTSLiverpool make their seventh attempt to notch a 50th league victory over Manchester United.
A draw would be enough to see Manchester United climb above Arsenal to the top of the table, ahead of the Gunners' home game with Chelsea which kicks off less than 45 minutes after the final whistle of this game is blown; victory for Liverpool will half their six-point deficit on the Red Devils.
This is the second of three massive fixtures in eight days for the Merseysiders, following Tuesday's decisive 0-4 Champions League win over Marseilles in France, and ahead of Wednesday's Carling Cup quarter-final at Chelsea.
Liverpool suffered a shock loss, away to Reading last Saturday, and are in danger of their first back-to-back defeats in 17 Premier League matches.
Both these clubs are meeting a fellow member of the "big four" for the third time this season, and both are unbeaten:
United beat Chelsea 2-0 at home on 23 September and drew 2-2 at Arsenal on 3 November, while Liverpool have drawn both theirs 1-1 at home, to Chelsea on 19 August and to Arsenal on 28 October.
Sir Alex Ferguson has had the better of the exchanges with Rafael Benitez. United have won five and drawn one of the six Premier League matches against Rafa's Reds, although the Merseysiders did knock out United from the FA Cup in February 2006.
Manchester United ended Liverpool's 30-match unbeaten Premier League record at Anfield with a 0-1 victory in this corresponding fixture last March. John O'Shea came off the bench to win a dramatic stoppage time winner, after Paul Scholes was sent off for swinging a punch at Liverpool's Xabi Alonso.
Liverpool have suffered more Premier League defeats to Manchester United than any other club (16), and conceded more Premier League goals against them than to any other side (44). 
CLUB FORMLIVERPOOL
Club stats
Fixtures
(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures)
1. Defeat to Reading ended a 15-match unbeaten Premier League sequence of eight wins and seven draws.
2. The three goals from the Royals were the first conceded in five Premier League outings, and increased the total of those shipped in this league campaign by half as much again (from six to nine).
3. Last lost successive league games away to Portsmouth and Fulham on 28 April and 5 May respectively.
4. Averaging two points per match; 30 in 15. They are eight points better off than at this same stage last season.
5. Conceded the opening goal only twice in Premier League matches this season - fewer than any other club, and one of two clubs not to have let in a goal in the first 15 minutes; the other is Blackburn.
6. Trailed at half-time only once in this Premier League season (away to Everton).
7. Won the last five league and cup games at Anfield, with an aggregate score of 20-2.
8. Undefeated in 11 home league games; won six and drawn five since the 0-1 loss to Manchester United on 3 March.
9. The only club to have scored as many as four penalties in Premiership competition this season, and one of two clubs to have conceded four; the other is Birmingham.
10. The remaining Premier League fixtures this year involve a home game with Portsmouth, a Boxing Day visit to Derby and another away trip to Manchester City, before entering 2008 with a home fixture against Wigan on 2 January.
MANCHESTER UNITEDClub stats
Fixtures
(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures)
1. Won 16 of 20 in all competitions, and lost one of 14.
2. One of two clubs with as many as 11 Premier League wins; the other is Arsenal.
3. Boasting the tightest defence in the highest league; just eight goals shipped in 16 outings, at one very two games, or three hours, on average.
4. Won three more Premier League matches than Liverpool (11 to eight), but lost one more (two to one).
5. Won 11 of the last 13 Premier League matches, losing just one of the 13.
6. Kept clean sheets in eight of the last 13 league outings, and failed to score in one of their last 13 league games; the 1-0 loss, away to Bolton on 24 November.
7. Not lost in any league game this term in which they have scored; won 11 and drawn two of 13.
8. Scored first in an unequalled 12 Premier League matches; won 10 and drawn two.
9. Conceded only two goals in the last 15 minutes of Premier League matches this term; only Arsenal and Liverpool can match that.
10. The remaining matches this year include a home game with Everton, a Boxing Day visit to Sunderland, and another away trip to West Ham, before the New Year's Day fixture home to Birmingham.
KEY PLAYER NOTESLIVERPOOL
Fernando TORRES is Liverpool's top scorer with 12 goals.
TORRES and Steven GERRARD are the clubs' joint top Premier League marksmen with six goals each.
Goalkeeper Jose REINA is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Liverpool's Premier League matches this season.
REINA leads the race for the Barclays Golden Glove, keeping nine clean sheets.
MANCHESTER UNITEDCristiano RONALDO
is Manchester United's top scorer with 14 goals.RONALDO is also their leading Premier League marksman with nine. He jointly leads the race for the Barclays Golden Boot, alongside Arsenal's Emmanuel ADEBAYOR.
Rio FERDINAND is the only remaining player to have started all of Manchester United's Premier League matches this season.
HEAD TO HEAD
Manchester United did the double over Liverpool for the fourth time in the Premier League last season, and the second time in three seasons.
Manchester United were the only club to win home and away against the Merseysiders last season, but Liverpool were one of 12 doubled by the Red Devils in the last campaign.
United are aiming to beat Liverpool in the league for the fourth time in a row.
The only point in 18 Liverpool have notched against United came from a goalless draw at Anfield on 18 September 2005.
Home and awayLeague (inc PL): Liverpool 49 wins,
Man Utd 56, Draws 43
Prem: Liverpool 7 wins, Man Utd 16, Draws 7at Liverpool only
League (inc PL): Liverpool 35 wins, Man Utd 21, Draws 18
Prem: Liverpool 4 wins, Man Utd 8, Draws 3LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Liverpool 0-1 Manchester United3 March 2007 - Ref: Martin Atkinson
Man Utd scorer:
O'Shea 90
Sent Off: Scholes (Man Utd) 86
REFEREE
Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Premier League referees' table
Mark Halsey's 2007-08 Premier League card count
Let the War Begin..
Skysports PreviewManchester United make the short trip down the East Lancs Road on Sunday to renew one of English football's fiercest rivalries as they take on Liverpool at Anfield.
It is no secret that the two North West clubs do not like each other and this year's contest, which can be seen as part of Grand Slam Sunday live on Sky Sports 1, promises to be one of the biggest battles for years.
Liverpool sit six points behind United, who trail league leaders Arsenal by one point, but they have a game in hand on their rivals and can be labelled as genuine contenders to snatch the Red Devils' Premier League crown.
United, though, have not lost to Liverpool in the league since 2004 and Sir Alex Ferguson's side will be keen to stretch their unbeaten record while also inflicting a major body blow to their Merseyside foes' title aspirations.
Comeback
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez could name Xabi Alonso in his starting line up for the first time since October following the midfielder's return to training.
Alonso, who missed six weeks earlier in the season with a broken metatarsal, has been out of action since sustaining a new foot injury in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal on 28th October, but the influential Spanish international could be fit to face United.
However, Benitez looks set to be without defender Steve Finnan after the Republic of Ireland international missed Tuesday's 4-0 win over Marseille with a calf problem.
Daniel Agger will definitely miss out as he continues his comeback from a foot injury, however Benitez is expected to stick with star striker Fernando Torres who has been singled out as a major threat by United.
Top of the table
United could return to the summit of the Premier League if they record three points against Liverpool and Arsenal slip up against Chelsea in Sunday's other crunch clash.
And United manager Sir Alex Ferguson only has new concerns over the fitness of last year's Anfield match winner John O'Shea as Owen Hargreaves has recovered from the calf injury he sustained in the warm-up prior to last week's win over Derby.
The versatile O'Shea fired an injury-time winner against Liverpool last season to send the Red Devils on their march to the title, but he is struggling with a groin strain and is expected to have to settle for a place on the bench.
Gary Neville - who tends to prove a less than popular figure on Merseyside - will be missing as he continues his comeback from a series of injury setbacks, much to the disappointment of the Anfield faithful.
Skysports.com predicts: 1-1
SKY BET odds: Liverpool 8/5, Draw 15/8, Man Utd 2/1
One to watch: Fernando Torres
Arsenal vs ChelseaArsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas trained on Friday and could be in line for a return against Chelsea.
Fabregas has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since 27 November but trained along with Robin van Persie, Mathieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb.
Ricardo Carvalho (back) and Florent Malouda (knee) could be back for Chelsea if they pass fitness tests.
Didier Drogba (knee), Michael Ballack (ankle) and Michael Essien (suspended) are definitely unavailable.
Arsenal (from): Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Toure, Clichy, Eboue, Gilberto, Diarra, Rosicky, van Persie, Adebayor, Lehmann, Senderos, Traore, Song, Denilson, Bendtner, Diaby, Eduardo.Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Hilario, Belletti, Ferreira, Carvalho, Alex, Ben Haim, Terry, A Cole, J Cole, Bridge, Lampard, Malouda, Sidwell, Kalou, Pizarro, Shevchenko, Wright-Phillips, Makelele, Obi. Skysports Preview:Arsenal host Chelsea in the second instalment of Grand Slam Sunday, in what promises to be a capital clash of epic proportions.
By the time things get underway at Emirates Stadium, Arsene Wenger's side may find themselves usurped at the Premier League summit by Manchester United, depending on the result from their tough trip to Liverpool.
A solitary point return from two miserable away days in the North East has illuminated to the rest of the Premier League the chinks in Arsenal's armour, with their otherwise imperious record stained by disagreeable trips north.
Back on home soil and the top flight's style council could well be back to their luxurious best but without Cesc Fabregas, who is a major doubt, it can be argued Arsenal have the body of a Porsche but the engine of a Ford Focus.
The Spaniard is the physical embodiment of Wenger's vision, a magician on the ball whose intelligence in his feet matches his manager's on the tactics board.
Fabregas' midfield minder Mathieu Flamini is another doubt, with Gilberto Silva ready to deputise in the Frenchman's absence, should Sunday's game arrive too soon.
Touch-and-go
Alexander Hleb, so impressive before picking up a knock at Aston Villa, could come back into contention but again it is a touch-and-go scenario.
Lassana Diarra and Abou Diaby could well figure depending on whether Wenger elects to pack his midfield.
Robin van Persie completed 60 minutes of his comeback against Steaua Bucharest in midweek following two months on the sidelines, but Wenger could well elect to use Emmanuel Adebayor as his figurehead, with the returning Dutchman providing bench back-up.
Avram Grant was rewarded this week for calming the good ship Chelsea in his trademark understated style, and while he is the ordinary rather than extraordinary one, he shares with Jose Mourinho the priceless knack of winning matches.
Sunday's game is undoubtedly a huge one for Chelsea, who will be determined to prove wrong those sceptics that have derided their title aspirations following the Portuguese's departure.
Didier Drogba's absence cannot be underestimated and it was highlighted in midweek as they out-fought and out-played Valencia, but could not conjure a goal for love nor money.
Andrei Shevchenko again looked somewhat laboured but it will be the Ukrainian that leads the line, with Salomon Kalou and Claudio Pizarro both clambering for the right to play off him.
Joe Cole's cameo off the bench against Valencia should be enough to win him a start, while Juliano Belletti will come in at right-back at the expense of Paulo Ferreira; likewise Ashley Cole for Wayne Bridge.
Petr Cech, who could well be the busier of the two goalkeepers, came through Tuesday's game unscathed and will provide Chelsea with a world class backline. They may need it.
skysports.com prediction: Arsenal 2 Chelsea 1
Player to watch: Emmanuel Adebayor
Sky Bet odds: Arsenal 11/8 Draw 2/1 Chelsea 11/5
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