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Leaders Manchester City, beaten at Napoli on Tuesday to leave their European adventure out of their hands, on Sunday travel to a Liverpool side who are on cloud nine after a 2-1 win at Chelsea last time out re-energised their top-four push.
Wayne Rooney is a doubt for Saturday when Manchester United host Newcastle United, who have the joint-meanest defence this term and were unbeaten in the top-flight before last weekend's loss to City.
United, five points behind City after 12 games, gave away two sloppy goals in Tuesday's 2-2 home Champions League draw with Benfica which meant Sir Alex Ferguson's men need a draw in their final group game in Basel to reach the last 16.
"There's always a goal in Dimi, always the ability to turn a game. He's always in my thoughts," Ferguson told reporters despite the Bulgarian being largely a substitute this term after last season's emergence of Javier Hernandez.
Centre-back Nemanja Vidic, suspended against Benfica, will return to add steel to a flimsy-looking back four as United aim to negate a largely unheralded yet effective Newcastle front line which has helped Alan Pardew's side into fourth.
Phil Jones could make way or shift to right-back following his early own goal on Tuesday while goalkeeper David de Gea was mentioned by Ferguson as making a mistake with his clearance for Benfica's second goal.
"The squad is stronger this year and I think the weekend proved that. If you look at the bench, it was very strong," Liverpool assistant Steve Clarke told the club's official website, with his sixth-placed side level with Chelsea and Arsenal on 22 points.
"What you try to create at a club like Liverpool is competition for places. Everybody has that competition for their place now, it can only be helpful for the group going forward."
