Dimitar Berbatov

LONDON (AP)

Manchester United are expected to unveil a new strike force of Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney this weekend, and it couldn't come at a better time for the defending champions as they travel to fierce rivals Liverpool.

Liverpool are level on points with early leaders Chelsea, which are at Manchester City in another of tomorrow's eight matches.

But Berbatov, who joined United last week for US$55.1 million from Tottenham, is the sort of proven scorer who could take advantage of the defensive lapses that have plagued the Anfield side in recent seasons.

Consecutive wins

United have not lost in the Premier League at Liverpool since 2001 and have won in five of their past six visits. The most recent of those two losses could have been avoided.

"If we remember the two games at home against them in the last two seasons we were better than them in my opinion," Liverpool defender Fabio Aurelio said. "We conceded a goal against them from a free kick in the last minute and last season they scored from a corner. This shows that we have to concentrate at all times."

With Cristiano Ronaldo out injured until October, United have been less than impressive in their first four games this season. United needed a shootout to beat Portsmouth in the Community Shield, before drawing 1-1 with Newcastle and winning 1-0 at Pompey in the Premier League.

United's attempt to rebound from a 2-1 European Super Cup defeat to Zenit St. Petersburg in their last match has been hampered by a break of more than a week for international matches. Most United players have been away with their countries for World Cup qualifiers.

"There have been four or five of us training and that does disrupt it massively, especially when we have an early kick-off on Saturday," said midfielder Paul Scholes, who retired from international football in 2004. "We will get an hour of training probably on Friday."

But Scholes isn't complaining.

"It's the same for every team," he said. "Liverpool will have a lot of players out; Chelsea will have every player out as well. These are historically tough games and whenever you play them it isn't any different. You need to play these games at some stage during the season."

Liverpool have struggled in games against the other members of the so-called "big four" in recent seasons, something that is a big part of its failure to seriously challenge for the Premier league title despite repeated investment in its squad.

"We have to be 100 per cent on our game and try and show character," Aurelio said. "We need to show them how difficult it is to play at Anfield. Our fans will show that and we need to do it on the pitch.

"We need to try and change the history. In recent years it has been difficult against them."

Missing players

But while United will be welcoming a player who has scored 27 goals in 70 Premier League matches, Liverpool could be missing captain and key midfielder Steven Gerrard because of the groin injury that kept him out of England's last two matches.

Rafa Benitez has not ruled out Gerrard, who had surgery two weeks ago, and he also hopes striker Fernando Torres has recovered from the minor hamstring tear he sustained in a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa on August 31.

Chelsea's title credentials could get a tough test at City, which last week joined the west London club in the ranks of English football's ultra rich.

Chelsea had expected to have Robinho in their squad to face City but instead find the Brazil striker in the opposition squad following his British record move from Real Madrid. But a tiring trans-Atlantic trip to Manchester following a pair of World Cup qualifiers means that Robinho is likely only to be a substitute.

If City are looking for motivation, all they need is to listen to the words of Chelsea playmaker Deco.

"Leaving a club like Real Madrid to sign for Chelsea is a good thing, but I have my doubts with respect to City," he said.