The fixture between Liverpool and Manchester United is one of the most significant sporting rivalries in football, sometimes referred to as theNorth West derby. Both clubs hail from the North West of England. With both cities of Liverpool and Manchester historically being part of the county of Lancashire, this fixture has been known as a Lancashire derby.
The clubs are also the two most successful teams in England; between them they have won 118 honours: 60 for Manchester United and 58 for Liverpool. The fixture is usually played at midday due to media interest and to discourage fans from drinking before the game.
Long-serving Manchester United player Ryan Giggs claimed that Liverpool against Manchester United is "probably the most famous fixture in English football". This rivalry is one of the most high-profile derbies in the country.
Dalglish will be only the sixth manager to reach that landmark with Liverpool. He has won 150 - more than anyone else, with Bob Paisley next best on 144.
Here are all the rest of the facts and figures ahead of the big game from club statto Ged Rea,
Head to head (league only):
At Anfield: Liverpool 38 wins, United 22 wins, 18 draws.
Overall: Liverpool 53 wins, United 60 wins, 43 draws.
Last season Liverpool won 3-1 at Anfield with Dirk Kuyt scoring three for the Reds before Javier Hernandez scored a late consolation. It was Alex Ferguson's 50thleague game against Liverpool.
Kuyt's hat-trick was only the second one scored against United in the Premier League with the first coming from Blackburn's David Bentley. It was also the first by a Liverpool player in this fixture since Peter Beardsley in 1990.
Liverpool have won the last three league meetings on this ground. The last time they beat United in four successive league games at Anfield was on Boxing Day 1979 when Kenny Dalglish played in the side that won 2-0 with Alan Hansen and David Johnson scoring. That was the last in a run of seven successive wins against their rivals.
Of the 38 Premier League clashes between the teams there has only ever been one goalless draw. That came on this ground in September 2005.
The last seven league fixtures between Liverpool and United home and away has produced 25 goals.
Last season Liverpool lost to United in Dalglish's first game back in charge in a FA Cup tie at Old Trafford. Steven Gerrard was sent off for the sixth time in his club career.
Prior to last season the only other occasion in which a player scored a hat-trick in fixtures between the clubs in the same season was in 1907-08 - Sandy Turnbull for United at Old Trafford and Billy McPherson for Liverpool at Anfield.
Andy Carroll made his Liverpool debut in this fixture last season as a 74thminute substitute for Raul Meireles.
The last 11 league meetings home and away have produced a winner - four victories for Liverpool and seven for United.
Steven Gerrard's last start for Liverpool came against United at Anfield last season. Since then he has not started any of the last 20 games.
The Reds are one goal short of recording 1200 in the Barclays Premier League.
If Pepe Reina plays he will become only the sixth Liverpool player to appear in 160 consecutive league games - the others being Phil Neal, Chris Lawler, Ray Clemence, Bruce Grobbelaar and Ian Callaghan.
Dirk Kuyt's next goal will see him become only the fifth Dutchman to score 50 Premiership goals. The other four are Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Dennis Bergkamp and Robin van Persie.
Charlie Adam scored against United in his last appearance for Blackpool - on the final day of last season.
This will be Kenny Dalglish's 14th league game against United as Liverpool manager. He has won the fixture four times to United's three wins, with six draws.
Liverpool's biggest ever win here was 7-1 in the first game between the two sides in October 1895 when United were known as Newton Heath. United's biggest win here was in December 1969 when they recorded a 4-1 victory.
Dimitar Berbatov made his United debut at Anfield in September 2008 and could be his 100th league appearance for the club.
Ryan Giggs is aiming to score in the top-flight for the 22nd successive season. His two goals this season have come in cup competitions.
In this fixture last season Giggs broke United's league appearance record previously held by Bobby Charlton by playing in his 607th game.
United have won six and drawn one of their seven league games this season - with only Stoke denying them a 100 per cent record with a 1-1 draw at the Britannia Stadium last month. Former Red Peter Crouch scored the equaliser for the 'Potters'.
They have topped the Barclays Premier League since August 28th.
When netting three against Bolton last month Wayne Rooney became only the fourth player to score hat-tricks in successive Premier League games.
Since losing at Anfield last season United have lost only one of the last 16 league games - that came at Arsenal (0-1).
United have won 20 of the Premier League encounters, with Liverpool having won 11.
In United's last game against Norwich they set a new club record of 19 successive home league wins.
United have scored in each of their last 16 games in all competitions.
If United win they will equal Everton by recording their 23rd league victory at Anfield. No club has won more.
United have won at Anfield nine times in the Premier League compared to Liverpool's seven.
United have failed to score in only three of the last 15 league visits to Anfield and have found the net in eight of the last 10.
Ryan Giggs has made 578 Premier League appearances, more than any other player, with Jamie Carragher seventh on the list with 470.
Diimitar Berbatov's hat-trick last season was the first by a United player against Liverpool since Stan Pearson in 1946.
Nemanja Vidic has been sent off three times against Liverpool - all in a 13-month spell between 2008 and 2009 - the most by any player against the same team in the Premier League.
United have had eight players red carded against Liverpool in the Premier League with six coming at Anfield.
Michael Owen scored six goals in 14 games against Manchester United while a Liverpool player.
David de Gea played here for Atletico Madrid in a Europa League semi-final second leg and was on the losing side as his team went down 2-1 but still reached the final on away goals.
Referee Andre Marriner has taken charge of this fixture once before - Liverpool's 2-0 win in October 2009 when both Nemanja Vidic and Javier Mascherano saw red.
Marriner has officiated in 12 United games during his career and that defeat at Anfield is the only one they have failed to win.
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