It’s close, but find out which team narrowly edges it.
Manchester United and Liverpool are the fiercest of club rivals.
United had become accustomed to being superior to the Merseyside club in recent times.
However, for just the second season in 22 years of the Premier League, Liverpool finished above the Red Devils in the 2013/14 campaign.
Is this the start of a power shift?
We have compiled a best starting XI for both sides to work out who we think is looking in better shape going into the new season.
Simon Mignolet – The Belgian had an up and down debut season at Anfield. He made a couple of high-profile errors in December. Had Liverpool had a better keeper than Brad Jones in reserve, Mignolet may well have been dropped. 6-10.
David de Gea – United’s player of the season last term, the 23-year-old is one of the best stoppers in Europe right now. A future Spain number one for sure. 8-10.
Glen Johnson – His critics call him a decent winger playing at right-back. That may be a tad harsh, but Johnson is far from the complete package defensively. 6-10.
Rafael da Silva – He has been regarded as a highly promising full-back for too long. At the age of 24, it is now time for the Brazilian to step up and deliver big and consistent performances. He started just 18 Premier League last term, with Phil Jones and Chris Smalling deputising at right-back. However, the superior twin is likely to feature more regularly under Van Gaal. 6-10.
Luke Shaw – The most expensive teenager in world football is expected to develop into one of the best full-backs on the planet. However, he is not yet the finished article and, right now, he is probably slightly inferior to Patrice Evra – the man he replaced at Old Trafford. Nevertheless, Shaw is still a solid 7/10.
Chris Smalling – The Former Fulham man was playing non-league football for Maidstone United just over six years ago. While his rise from the footballing wilderness is impressive, he is simply not good enough to play for the Red Devils. 5-10.
Daniel Agger -A solid 6-10, but Liverpool’s pursuit of Southampton’s Dejan Lovren suggests that manager Brendan Rodgers is not fully convinced by the Dane.
Phil Jones – Jones can play in various positions, including right-back and central midfield. However, his versatility has become a curse and it has stunted his progress somewhat. Now, with Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic out of the picture, Jones can finally focus on becoming a top-class centre-back. 7-10, with the potential to get much better.
Michael Carrick – He will be out of action for the first month of the season with an ankle injury and United will miss him. Carrick is a highly reliable midfielder, who holds his position well and recycles possession effectively. 7-10.
Marouane Fellaini – This fella certainly did flop in his first season at Old Trafford, but conditions were far from ideal under David Moyes. He deserves another chance to prove himself, which Van Gaal is likely to provide. 6-10.
Juan Mata – The Spanish playmaker was the most exciting arrival at Old Trafford since Robin van Persie, when he joined United from Chelsea for around £37m in January. Van Gaal will get the best out of Mata. He is streets ahead of new £29m buy Ander Herrera, who could spend much of his debut season in England on the bench. 8-10.
Raheem Sterling – Despite only turning 19 last December, Sterling was one of Liverpool’s most used players last term. Only Mignolet, Skrtel, Henderson and Gerrard featured more times in the Premier League. Sterling terrorised defenders with his pace and top dribbling skills. He was one of the main reasons why the Reds were so dangerous on the counter-attack. 8-10.
Adnan Januzaj – The Belgian wonderkid is very similar to Sterling, but he is not quite as good as his Anfield counterpart, not yet at least. Januzaj scored four goals and provided three assists in 27 games last term, while Sterling netted nine and set up five in 33 outings. 7-10.
Adam Lallana – Many people remain unconvinced that Liverpool were right to spend £25m on Lallana, but the 26-year-old is probably worth it. He is super fit – he played in all 38 Premier League games for Southampton last season. He is also very confident, having captained the Saints, and he has a good eye for goal, having netted nine times last term. 8-10.
Wayne Rooney – He is often criticised for under-performing, but that is just because fans expect so much from him. Playing often in attacking midfield, Rooney was one of United’s standout players last term, scoring 17 goals and laying on 10 assists in the league. 9-10.
Daniel Sturridge – Danny boy had the season of his life last term, scoring 21 league goals. He may struggle without Suarez, but he could thrive too. For the first time in his career, he is the top dog at a big club. 8-10.
Robin van Persie – RVP is used to being the top dog. He only scored 12 league goals last term, but he showed at the World Cup, where he netted four times, that he is back to his best. 8-10.
Final score: Liverpool 81-78 Man United
