Suarez ready to torment United again

Luis Suarez's performance against Manchester United in March marked him out as a special player

When Liverpool and Manchester United last met in March, it was the performance of Dirk Kuyt which was most talked about.

Liverpool won the game 3-1 and Kuyt scored a hat-trick, but it was the display of another Reds star which had allowed the Dutchman to grab the headlines.

Luis Suarez played a key role in each of Kuyt's goals - scored from a combined total of about five yards - and it was his trickery throughout the game which gave Liverpool the edge.

The two sides come up against each other again tomorrow in what is sure to be another titanic tussle between two great rivals, and it could just be that Suarez holds the key again.

When the Uruguayan is on form, he has very few contemporaries and judging by his display in this fixture last season, he seems to relish the big occasion.

He tormented Sir Alex Ferguson's side with his mazy dribbling, tremendous work-rate and elusive movement.

Suarez is the jewel in Liverpool's team and his performance in the March victory over United will certainly have worried Ferguson.

Ferguson has probably devised a plan to nullify the threat of the Uruguayan but if he can play near the level he did in March, it will be an extremely difficult game for the Red Devils.

It will certainly be their biggest test yet in this campaign, with Liverpool looking genuine contenders for the title after their win over city rivals Everton in their last game.

The jury is still out on some of Kenny Dalglish's signings, with particularly Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson struggling to live up to their enormous transfer fees, but a win over United tomorrow will leave the Reds just three points behind their rivals and looking in great shape.

Carroll and Henderson cost a combined total of around £55million

United have been tremendous going forward this season but occasionally they have looked fragile at the back.

Phil Jones and Chris Smalling have slotted seamlessly into the side but as a whole they look like a team which will concede goals.

With Liverpool's attacking talents, United will be tested to the limit on Saturday.

Steven Gerrard should make his first start of the season after injury and it looks like the ideal time for him to step back in.

It will give Jordan Henderson the chance to take a step back and out of the firing line and also give the rest of the side a confidence boost to have their talisman back.

Gerrard's passion and knowledge of this fixture could prove crucial with many of the players on both sides having little or no experience of this derby.

Whatever their experience though, it seems to be ingrained into Liverpool players to raise their game against Manchester United.

Dalglish, along with local heroes Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, will have left the new players in no doubt as to what this fixture means to the fans so you should expect to see a fired-up Liverpool team tomorrow lunchtime.

Nothing makes them happier than putting one over on United, whatever personnel they have on the field.

It will also be interesting to see how Wayne Rooney reacts to his red card shame with England in Montenegro.

Rooney will be eager to bounce back after his England red card

He is always in for a hot reception at Anfield as a boyhood Evertonian but this time that atmosphere is sure to be even more poisonous towards him.

It would be just like Rooney to bounce back from a terrible week with a match-winning performance, but you can be sure the likes of Carragher will be winding him up for 90 minutes in the hope he blows a fuse again.

Whatever happens with Rooney though, this is sure to be a high-tempo ferocious clash, with attack probably coming out on top of defence.

Both sides should score, with the likes of Suarez and Gerrard key for Liverpool and Nani, Ashley Young, Rooney and Javier Hernandez crucial for United.

Young, Rooney and Nani have been in devastating form so far this season

It is time for Liverpool to prove their title credentials and the only way they can do that is by ending United's unbeaten record so far this season.

It is time for Carroll, Charlie Adam and Henderson to prove they are Liverpool players and ease the burden on Suarez and Gerrard.

Old adversaries Dalglish and Ferguson have overseen their fair share of games between these sides over the years, and both will know the outcome of this game will give a fair indication of how this season is going to pan out.

United have been the more blistering of the two teams so far this season, with Nani, Young and Rooney in scintillating form, but they know this will be their biggest test yet.

They now have to come up against Liverpool again, up against Dalglish, up against Gerrard and, of course, up against Suarez.

Suarez holds the key to this game and if he can torment Ferguson's side as he did in March, United's unbeaten start to the season may be about to come to a shuddering halt.