14 min Liverpool counter and Robertson has a good chance, but he leans back too far. Before that, Mainoo was again to be seen dancing into the Liverpool box. The Old Trafford crowd, who can be muted, are making a thunderous noise.

12 min United on the march again, led by Mainoo. Garnacho’s shot is blocked and it’s a corner. Dalot has a long shot, but it sails into Row Z.

This was made by Rashford and Garnacho. Rashford took delivery of a long ball and slipped in Garnacho in the inside-left channel. His shot was saved but the ball sat up nicely for McTominay, following up and getting a tap-in. Game on!

GOAL! Man United 1-0 Liverpool (McTominay 10)

8 min Sharp work again from Mainoo, who feeds Hojlund, who can’t quite lay it off to Fernandes. And then there’s a near-miss for United as Salah pops up on the left and volleys just wide of the far post. The game has been wide open so far.

6 min United break and Garnacho would be one on one if Højlund’s through ball was better directed. United are bringing a lot of rust to the party.

5 min To add to Liverpool’s discomfort, the sun is shining, right in Kelleher’s eyes. But now his team mates get forward and it’s their turn to have a shot saved as Szoboszlai cuts in from the right and tests Onana.

4 min Shot! Garnacho plays a shrewd square ball to Rashford, whose side-footer is on target, well saved by Kelleher.

3 min United are in their usual red, Liverpool in white with black shorts and a splash of green. And so far, the team doing the pressing is United, for once.

2 min We’re underway. Before kicking off, Bruno Fernandes had a word with Kobbie Mainoo, who has a lot of responsibility on his young shoulders. Mainoo responds by winning a midfield duel and launching a sparky attack that ends with a shot from Wan-Bissaka, who is at left-back.

An odd feature of this match is that it’s Liverpool’s last away game for a while … until they come back to Old Trafford. And it’s United’s last home game until they face Liverpool again, same time, same place, three Sundays hence. If you’re a United fan, what would you prefer – a win today or a win in the league on 7 April? Or just avoiding a rout in both?

It’s a novelty to watch a big club match live on ITV. As part of the build-up they’ve just had a little interview with Tyson Fury, a United fan. What, he is asked, do United need to do to surprise Liverpool? “Just go out there and attack,” he says firmly. “Put pressure on them, get stuck right in, put your best foot forward. That usually works, it’s worked for me anyway, 35 times in a row.” Simple!

“The Paul Madeley of the 21st century!” says Phil Keegan. “Wow.” I wasn’t expecting that. “I totally got that reference but I am ancient (well, 64 soon). I have an American friend here in Vietnam where we live who has become interested in football, or soccer as he insists on calling it, and one way football has changed since I was a child is that players these days tend to be very specialised in terms of the position they play whereas when I was growing up they were expected to play any position. I actually used Paul Madeley as an example in that he is the only player to have played every outfield position in one season, so I enjoyed your comment.” Thanks Phil. Versatility ain’t what it used to be, much like nostalgia.

Casemiro hamstrung

“Half-time report from West Ham v Villa,” says Ian Sargeant, “if anyone is interested. Both sides started a little sleepily after their respective Thursday night endeavours. Villa have messed around at the back 3 or 4 times too often coughing up a couple of corners and possession that led to West Ham’s goal (Coufal crossing for an Antonio stooping header). The one time West Ham have tried to play out, consecutive rabonas from Paqueta and Alvarez and a volley from Paqueta proved far more useful. Entertaining enough …” Thanks!

“Bad hair day,” says Jeremy Boyce. “This may turn into one for Leicester. Dumped out of the Cup by a Premier League shambles team, player sent off, and possibly knocked off top spot after ‘N’ weeks up there depending on what goes on at Elland Road in the next 2 hours. FFP accusations flying around them too. As they say, it never rains…. Hope you’ll keep us posted on the Leeds-Millwall action.” That I can’t promise, unfortunately – I’ll be typing like the clappers as it is. And shambles, like billion-pound bottle jobs, seems a bit harsh. For all the slapstick in the boardroom, Chelsea have won every cup tie this season apart from the one they lost in the 118th minute.

United, living in the past? As if.

Chelsea are through

Those teams in full

Liverpool team: no Bradley

United team: Wan-Bissaka and Højlund in, Casemiro out

Preamble