Erik ten Hag challenged Manchester United to "make it our game" and take a significant step in their development by beating Liverpool at Anfield.
The United manager is certain his players will be undaunted by a fiery atmosphere, a week on from winning the EFL Cup and ending a near six-year trophy drought.
Liverpool's Premier League form is improving, after a dismal start to the year, and United's hosts have a top-four finish in their sights again.
That is the bare minimum target for United though, given they are in with an outside chance of the title.
Results at Old Trafford have been outstanding, with United dropping just four points there since a season-opening defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion, but on the road, against the elite clubs, wins have been hard to come by.
United lost 6-3 at Manchester City in October, went down 3-2 at Arsenal in January, and were held 1-1 at Chelsea prior to the Blues hitting the skids and falling away from the top-four battle
Now comes the Liverpool test, and Ten Hag said: "That is the next step we have to make then."
He took Ajax to Anfield in September 2020 for a behind-closed-doors Champions League game, at the height of the pandemic, but a full house awaits on Sunday.
"I'm looking forward [to it], I know the ambience, the atmosphere will be great. It will be hostile against us, and we like it," Ten Hag said.
"It is, of course, a test. But we're facing Liverpool and we're really looking forward [to it], I know these players, my squad, my team will be prepared to go and fight, to go with confidence, but we know it's going to be difficult.
"We know we have to suffer, we have to sacrifice to get a good result."
United beat Liverpool 2-1 at Old Trafford in August, a result that got them back on track after Ten Hag's sketchy start, and the Dutchman said his team have advanced to "a different process" since that game.
They have scored two or more goals in each of their last 12 matches, one game short of matching a club record in that regard.
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last six home league games against United (W3 D3) since a 1-0 loss in January 2016, but they face a resurgent team this weekend.
Despite this season's travails, Ten Hag expects Liverpool to remain a force, but United are a pace ahead of them for now and will be fancied by many to come away with the points.
"I think we are in a good direction with our philosophy, strategy and culture, and we have to keep getting progress, it's all about that," Ten Hag told a press conference.
"We face a fantastic opponent. It's all about us getting the right preparation to be ready for that game. We have to play and to make it our game."
United came from behind to beat West Ham 3-1 in the FA Cup on Wednesday, improving after a first-half display that displeased Ten Hag.
"Every day I demand the performance and I don't accept when it's low," he said. "I will criticise them and tell them what I expect, and I have to give the team solutions how to win the game, and the performance second half was much better."
There is a possibility of a quadruple, with United also still going in the Europa League, and Ten Hag sees no problem with his players lasting the distance.
"We like to play. We have energy from playing every third or fourth day, and we want to keep that going, but think about it game by game," he said.
"I think our mentality in general is very good. I think we have many leaders who set the mentality, who set the standards, who control the standards, who correct if necessary.
"I think we are happy with this process, but we can always be better and that has to be the approach."
Al-Khaleej 0-1 Al-Nassr: Ronaldo misfires on return as Laporte nets winner
Cristiano Ronaldo returned from suspension but failed to find the net as Al-Nassr secured a 1-0 win over Al-Khaleej on Saturday, with Aymeric Laporte coming up with the decisive goal.
Ronaldo was in action for the first time since being sent off for an elbow in a 2-1 Saudi Super Cup loss to Al-Hilal earlier this month, with his initial two-match ban being reduced to one on appeal.
He missed three good chances as Al-Nassr threatened to fall further behind runaway Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal, but former Manchester City defender Laporte spared his blushes by nodding Marcelo Brozovic's deep free-kick into the bottom-left corner with 68 minutes gone.
Al-Nassr remain nine points adrift of Al-Hilal at the summit in spite of their win, with Jorge Jesus' team unbeaten through 28 games this season as they close in on a record-extending 18th title.
Data Debrief: Ronaldo misfires on return
Ronaldo was presented with the Saudi Pro League's Player of the Month award for March ahead of kick-off, having scored four goals in three league appearances last month.
However, his sights were off on Saturday as he failed to net despite three of the visitors' four big chances, as defined by Opta, falling his way. He led all players on the pitch for expected goals (1.27 xG), shots (five), shots on target (three) and touches in the area (nine) without reward.
Huddersfield all but relegated from Championship while League Two play-off spots decided
Huddersfield Town saw their relegation from the Championship all but confirmed after a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Birmingham City on Saturday.
The Terriers avoided a defeat that would have seen them relegated on Saturday, but even a win on the final day over promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town will not be enough unless they overcome a huge goal difference of 15 goals with Plymouth Argyle.
Birmingham remain in the other relegation place and now must beat Norwich City to stand a chance of staying up with Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth and Blackburn Rovers also still in danger.
At the other end of the table, the Canaries dropped points in a 2-2 draw with Swansea City, leaving the door open for Hull City, who face Ipswich Town later today.
Ten Hag bemoans late Burnley equaliser - 'It's so unnecessary'
Erik ten Hag was left frustrated as Manchester United "gave it away" against a spirited Burnley, who held them to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils were on course to claim all three points when Antony pounced on Sander Berge's error to open the scoring in the 79th minute, as they looked to close the gap on fifth-place Tottenham to four points.
However, the hosts could not hold on as Andre Onana was penalised for a foul on Zeki Amdouni, who picked himself up to level from the penalty spot and salvage a point for the visitors three minutes from time.
Ten Hag was made to rue his side's wastefulness as they converted just one of their 27 shots on goal throughout the contest.
"We put ourselves in a winning position and, over long courses of the game, we dominated," he told the BBC. "We played some good football - creating loads of chances - and then to give it away in the end in the final minutes, it's so unnecessary.
"Every team gives up opportunities. But, when it is up to us, it is weird. We created loads of chances as well. We are one of the most dynamic and entertaining teams in the league at this moment. We are creating loads of chances by playing good football.
"We lost control in the second part of the first half when we conceded some chances, but the rest of the game was ours. We were in a winning position, and we gave it away."
Meanwhile, Vincent Kompany saluted the character demonstrated by Burnley, who boosted their Premier League survival hopes by moving to within two points of safety with three games remaining.
"We are where we are in the league for a reason, so not everything can be perfect, but the mentality was perfect - the togetherness, the sacrifice for each other," the Clarets boss said.
"There is tremendous consistency in the club and the approach to each game, even in tough times. We've earned the right to believe and hope."
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