Manchester United v Liverpool

After a big win in the Manchester derby on 15 December, not much has gone right for Ruben Amorim and Manchester United since then. The Red Devils have lost four games in a row and conceded three of them without scoring. It won't be any easier travelling to league leaders Arne Slots Liverpool on Sunday. Thanks to Mohamed Salah's 17 goals and 13 assists, Liverpool have a six-point lead in the table and are aiming for the Premier League title.

The professionalism of this team is in direct contrast to what United are currently going through. Although Marcus Rashford has returned to the side after being out of the squad for four games in a row, that doesn't mean all is well at Old Trafford. Amorim has a tough task ahead of him to stabilise this side as these teams show the differences he and Slot have inherited in their respective teams.

Whilst it's not fair to compare a manager who took over from a legend at the start of the season with someone trying to save the house that Erik ten Hag built, it does show how different the challenges are for Slot and Amorim. It's no surprise that Amorim has inherited a decaying foundation, it's been that way at United for some time, and that's why he has expressed that this could be a painful process.

United can grow, but he's no magician either. The January transfer window could bring in new faces, but given United's wage worries and squad size, they may have to sell to make purchases that could make a difference. Time waits for no man, especially at United, which is why this game is so crucial.

It's one thing if United had mediocre form but are being taken out of the game by everyone pushing forward into midfield. Key players like Bruno Fernandes are suspended instead of fixing that problem, so Amorim doesn't have much to do. The multi-goal defeat in the fifth game will beg the question of what Amorim can do to turn this team around, but it is more a testament to Slott's big red machine at Anfield and how to build momentum quickly.

By following in Jürgen Klopp's footsteps, Slot could have cracked under the pressure, but instead he has tweaked Liverpool's set-up to make it easier to repeat good performances than it was under their former boss. Even Liverpool's recent defeat to Nottingham Forest looks very different now that Forest are third in the league. Continuing these performances will be no easy task, but if Liverpool can do it, it will lead to a Premier League title.

United may be closer to the relegation zone than a European place, but if there is one saving grace for the season, it is the Europa League. A win there can still clinch a crucial Champions League spot and show that Amorim is moving the team in the right direction. The squad is nowhere near where it needs to be to dream of it, but going up against Liverpool and surviving it can give confidence in a season that couldn't even be described as close to average.