Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand was missing from the line-up for the FA Cup fifth-round clash against Liverpool at Anfield with a hamstring injury picked up in training.
Wes Brown and Nemanja Vidic were at the heart of United’s defence. Better news for Alex Ferguson was that goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar and Ryan Giggs, both injured last weekend at Portsmouth, were fit.
Liverpool recalled goalkeeper Jose Reina following his three-match ban. Peter Crouch was also back after a heel injury while Dietmar Hamann came into midfield with Xabi Alonso injured (thigh).
Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Gerrard, Hamann, Sissoko, Kewell, Crouch, Morientes. Subs: Dudek, Kromkamp, Cisse, Luis Garcia, Traore.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Brown, Vidic, Silvestre, Ronaldo, Fletcher, Giggs, Richardson, Rooney, van Nistelrooy. Subs: Howard, Saha, Park, Smith, Pique.
