After an unbeaten start to the season, joint-leaders United head into their showdown with their fierce rivals knowing that they can move three points clear of Manchester City with a win at Anfield.
As for Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp's men begin the day seven points adrift of United, although defeating their fellow North-West outfit will take the club into third spot.
Last year's corresponding fixture - which also took place in the middle of October - ended in a goalless draw.
OFFICIAL LINE-UPS
MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Darmian; Herrera, Matic; Young, Mkhitaryan, Martial; Lukaku
MANCHESTER UNITED SUBSTITUTES: Romero, Blind, Lindelof, Tuanzebe, Lingard, Mata, Rashford
LIVERPOOL: Mignolet; Gomez, Matip, Lovren, Moreno; Henderson, Can, Wijnaldum; Salah, Coutinho, Firmino.
LIVERPOOL SUBSTITUTES: Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Klavan, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sturridge, Solanke
The full-time whistle goes at Anfield and somewhat inevitably, we have ended goalless. The closing 30 minutes threw up very little in the way of action and both teams have to settle for a point apiece. However, the result enables United to move to the top of the table, with Liverpool now sitting in sixth spot. Thanks for joining our live coverage of the match!
90+4 min FULL TIME: Liverpool 0-0 Manchester United
90+1 min CHANCE! It's only half a chance but Lovren heads over the crossbar from a corner. The delivery was just too high for him.
90 min There will be three minutes of added-on time.
89 min I said in the build-up that United were practically guaranteed to score a goal. They have only come close on two occasions. This has been desperately poor from Mourinho's side, yet they may still earn a point.
87 min SUBSTITUTION! Before play resumes, Solanke comes on for the tiring Firmino.
87 min BOOKING! Young goes into the book for a late challenge on Moreno when trying to charge down a clearance. Looks harsh.
86 min United had the ball around 30 yards from goal and within seconds, Matic found himself playing the ball back to De Gea. United are more than happy with a draw here. Liverpool are chasing but they can't regain possession.
84 min Where has this been all match? Can surges forward with the ball and he must run about 40 yards before firing the ball across goal. However, De Gea is equal to it to prevent a tap-in at the back post.
83 min Liverpool win a free kick around 40 yards from goal. It's in a central position so it's not ideal. The set piece finds Sturridge, but the striker gets under the ball and heads tamely wide.
82 min Darmian catches a Liverpool player with a high boot - I think it was Can - but he has only done damage to himself with his lack of appearances presumably contributing to the cramp he has just suffered.
80 min I had high hopes for this game but with 10 minutes remaining, we have never looked further away from a goal. Liverpool are already showing a greater urgency but United look comfortable.
78 min SUBSTITUTIONS! That wayward shot was enough to see Klopp switch Salah with Daniel Sturridge, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has also been introduced for Coutinho.
76 min SHOT! Liverpool are running out of ideas. Salah has just tried to score from at least 30 yards. You are not beating De Gea from 30 yards. The shot goes about 20 yards wide.
74 min BOOKING! We finally have a booking. It goes to Smalling for stopping Coutinho from turning him on the halfway line.
73 min We are still awaiting that first Liverpool change at a time when United are looking stronger at the back. United will take a point at Anfield. There's no doubting that.
71 min We are into the final 20 minutes and we are still struggling for a goal. Will it be two goalless draws between these sides at Anfield in a row? Firmino almost just found Salah, but his lobbed cross had too much pace on it.
69 min Like in the first half, Lukaku has barely touched the ball. At least half of his touches came in one burst forward. The Belgian won't be replaced but his teammates need to do more to get him involved.
67 min SHOT! It's not often that Salah ends up in central positions but when he does, he is create havoc. On this occasion, though, his curling effort was sent over the bar. Not by much, but enough.
66 min SUBSTITUTION! A second switch in quick succession for United. Rashford is on for Martial.
65 min Liverpool win another corner on the right but it barely beats the first man. Groans come from the home crowd. It can't be long before we see Sturridge, but Klopp has a major call to make regarding who he replaces.
63 min SUBSTITUTION! Here comes the change, with Jesse Lingard replacing the ineffective Mkhitaryan.
62 min Every pass or tackle from Liverpool is being cheered by their supporters. They are desperate to win this game. More space is starting to emerge in the centre of the pitch. I can't see either set of players settling for a draw.
60 min Mourinho will probably hold off the change because United are finally starting to push Liverpool back. A couple of poor clearances only invite the pressure but Lovren is able to make an important header once the ball returned into the box.
58 min Mourinho has seen enough. Jesse Lingard is being readied. Not sure who he will replace. Maybe Martial, but that would see Mourinho going defensive.
56 min CHANCE! How has Can missed this?! Gomez plays a dream ball into the centre where Can is running onto the ball but he flicks his effort high over the bar from no more than eight yards out.
55 min SHOT! Coutinho hasn't had many chances to shoot today and on this occasion, Jones is able to make a partial block, with Wijnaldum then volleying well over from 14 yards.
54 min The crowd have gone quieter and so has the action. Maybe this is the lull before the substitutions. They are likely to be needed sooner rather than later after the international efforts.
52 min We have slipped back into the pattern of play where Liverpool are controlling the pace of the play and United are prepared to sit back. It hasn't taken long for Mourinho to be discouraged from playing a high line.
50 min Young concedes a free kick out on the right but the set piece is delivered all the way to the far side of the penalty area, where Liverpool are unable to fashion a chance through Firmino.
49 min As for Liverpool, Coutinho appears to have been told to go looking for the ball, rather than waiting for it to end up at his feet on the left. The Brazlian is playing much more centrally.
47 min United have started this second half a lot higher up the pitch. It's a risky strategy, but Mourinho has seemingly ordered his team to try to take more control of this contest.
46 min KICKOFF! United get us back underway.
The half-time whistle goes at Anfield and we remain goalless. It hasn't been the greatest game in the world, but there is enough about both sides to suggest that a goal isn't too far away. Matip and Lukaku have had the best chances for their respective teams, but De Gea and Mignolet made excellent interventions.
45+1 min HALF TIME: Liverpool 0-0 Manchester United
45 min There will be one minute of added-on time.
45 min Lukaku has just caught Lovren in the face with his boot. Difficult to say whether it was intentional or not, but it didn't look great.
44 min CHANCE! United should be ahead. Martial does superbly to set up Lukaku, who has the chance to score from 14 yards on his favoured left foot. However, his effort is too close to Mignolet, who saves well to his left.
43 min Coutinho tries to engineer a chance outside of the box, before dribbling his way towards the byline. The playmaker does all he can but his low cut-back is deflected into the hands of De Gea.
41 min SHOT! Firmino and Salah temporarily switch positions and it leads to the Egyptian being able to get a volley away on the edge of the box. However, his effort is tame and straight at De Gea.
40 min One player who has impressed for United is Young, with the right-sided midfielder winning another corner for his side. Moreno just hasn't been in their one-on-one battle. Nothing came from the set piece.
38 min Those opportunities and tackle from Lukaku has only increased the decibel level inside Anfield. It had gone a little quiet. Liverpool have the momentum but they have not capitalised.
36 min Lukaku had nothing his own way in the match and it's led to a frustrated challenge on Gomez, who is sent into the air. However, the referee - for some reason - does not give out a yellow card.
34 min SAVE! What a save from De Gea. Firmino finds Matip all on his own in the middle but the Spanish stopper makes a stunning block from eight yards out. The rebound was picked up by Salah, who curled the ball wide of the far post. He should have scored.
32 min Still more of the same from both sides but still, very little end product. Liverpool need to do more to get Coutinho into this game. He's having no joy out of Valencia.
30 min SHOT! It has taken 30 minutes for United to threaten with a shot on goal, and it almost leads to the visitors going ahead. The ball fell invitingly to Matic, who directed a volley inches wide of the top corner. Mignolet had no chance.
29 min There's been a definite lull in the action. I'm convinced Liverpool want a breather - especially with their attacking trio having made long flights back to England in recent days. It's probably a wise decision.
27 min The game remains scrappy but with the odds moments of brilliance. It's playing into the hands of United, but Liverpool have had the better of this game so far.
25 min Lukaku has just had about 10 more touches in the space of a few seconds - he has had one during the opening quarter of the match. The forward powered past Lovren but his cross - with his weaker right foot - was over-hit and it went out for a throw-in.
23 min United win a free kick on the left-hand side of the penalty area and it's down to Young or Mkhitaryan. Young decides to try to find a teammate in the box but the delivery doesn't beat the first man.
22 min It has been a while but United have a sustained spell of possession, but that is only because Liverpool fancy a breather. It's understandable. The home side have been relentless both with and without the ball.
20 min This is sublime from Salah. The Egyptian glides past three players being setting up Coutinho for the cross. However, his teammate is tackled by Valencia and the opportunity is lost.
18 min Young has just been involved in two off-the-ball incidents with Moreno and Can. Nothing particularly dirty on both occasions, the Liverpool duo appeared to be the guilty party. Free kick to Liverpool...
16 min I'm not convinced that Lukaku has actually touched the ball. United are not seeing much of the ball and when they do, it is out wide. Matip and Lovren are doing what they need to, but they haven't really been tasked with dealing with the Belgian.
14 min SHOT! Wijanldum decides to take matters into his own hands on the edge of the box, despite the box being on his left foot. His curling attempt is decent, but it's never beating De Gea.
14 min More of the same from Liverpool, who are playing plenty of side-way passes without much reward. Again, United are remaining patient.
12 min Liverpool have probably had about 70% of the possession but for the most part, they are doing little with it. Their one chance came courtesy of a bright move but United are already beginning to frustrate their hosts.
10 min SHOT! Matip has just been allowed to advance towards 30 yards out from goal but United probably realise that he poses no threat with a shot. This effort goes miles over De Gea's crossbar.
10 min Young versus Moreno is turning into an important battle on the right flank. It's one which is being won by Young with the versatile wideman frequently being played in behind the Spaniard. Opportunities are going to come from that area.
8 min The game is starting to be played at a ferocious pace. Liverpool are the instigators but it could play into the hands of United. They are hardly lacking in pace on the break.
7 min CHANCE! A Liverpool move starts and finishes with Wijnaldum but after getting on the end of Coutinho's pass, the Dutchman's shot is scuffed into the hands of De Gea.
6 min Mourinho has never had any issue with gifting opposition teams possession of the ball in non-threatening areas and that is how it is right now. Liverpool are eventually forced to take the direct approach and United win the ball back.
4 min Liverpool finally have a chance to get a foot on the ball but many of their passes are going backwards. Lukaku isn't the biggest worker but he does enough to force the ball back to Mignolet.
2 min A poor delivery from Mkhitaryan is rewarded by an even worse clearance by Wijnaldum as United gain another corner. However, nothing comes from the second set piece.
2 min Already, we can see that the midfield is heavily contested. It was pinball in the centre of the pitch during the opening seconds, but United were able to break down the right and earn an early corner...
1 min KICKOFF! Liverpool get us underway at a rocking Anfield.
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