Mediocre Man United, Liverpool meet

LONDON, AP:

As English football's most successful teams, Manchester United and Liverpool are the mainstays around the summit of the league.

Rivals come and go but United and Liverpool are always to be found among the chasing pack, at least, for the top prize.

No longer.

When the northwest rivals play tomorrow at Anfield it will be a meeting of mediocrity by their standards.

For the first time in 35 years, the league could finish without either United or Liverpool who have 38 titles between them in the top four.

And it's about cash, not just symbolism. Finishing outside the top four would mean missing out on the Champions League next season.

With only one win in eight league matches, record 20-time champions United have dropped to sixth place, two points behind Tottenham in fourth. Liverpool are three points behind United in ninth after failing to achieve the uplift anticipated in the three months since hiring Juergen Klopp as manager.

While United's draws have added to the pressure on Louis van Gaal, Liverpool's scrambled comebacks to rescue points have been celebrated by Klopp and his squad almost like wins including Wednesday's 3-3 comeback at home to Arsenal.

"There has been a big improvement recently (in our mental strength) and that's very important when you're at a big club," Liverpool defender Kolo Toure said. "You can't ever give up. When you refuse to lose games, you often find yourself winning them.

"It's always important that if you don't win, you don't lose. We showed character and resilience and we didn't give up until the end of the game. It's very important that we keep things going at home."