United face Reds

LONDON. — Manchester United will bid for a sixth straight English Premier League soccer victory to heap more misery on Brendan Rodgers and his beleaguered Liverpool side when the bitter rivals meet at Old Trafford on Sunday.United, who finished seventh last season, continued to recover from their poor start to the campaign with a fortunate 2-1 win at high-flying Southampton on Monday that lifted them into third place for the first time since August 2013.

By contrast, last term’s runners-up Liverpool are ninth and suffered an early Champions League exit with a 1-1 home draw in their final group game against FC Basle on Tuesday.

The Anfield club have struggled to recapture the form that took them to the brink of the title and, after two wins in their last six league matches — including a 0-0 home draw with Sunderland on Saturday — they have 21 points.

United striker Robin van Persie scored both goals in the victory at Southampton and three strikes in as many games have helped silence the critics following his poor early form.

The Netherlands captain said he and his teammates, who are eight points adrift of leaders Chelsea with 28 after 15 games, are finding their top form.

Table-topping Chelsea will look to bounce back when third-bottom Hull City visit Stamford Bridge tomorrow after Jose Mourinho’s side suffered their first defeat of the season in a 2-1 loss at Newcastle United last weekend.

Second-placed Manchester City took full advantage of Chelsea’s slip by moving within three points of the leaders with a battling 1-0 home win against Everton.

However, they will have to do without their top scorer Sergio Aguero, who could miss up to six weeks with a knee injury, for tomorrow’s trip to bottom club Leicester City.

Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger could be left facing a major defensive injury crisis.

Gunners boss Wenger is struggling for centre halves to face Newcastle tomorrow with Calum Chambers suspended and injury doubts over Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal.

That could leave Per Mertesacker as their only fit senior centre half as Wenger waits on Monreal and Koscielny. — Soccernet.