Fergie hopes for serene Sunday

MANAGER Sir Alex Ferguson is crossing his fingers Manchester United’s powderkeg Premier League encounter with Liverpool on Sunday passes without incident.

It will be the first time United have met their North–West rivals at Old Trafford since Luis Suarez refused to shake Patrice Evra’s hand in last season’s corresponding fixture. The pair later shook hands at Anfield in September - which Ferguson hopes was sign of things to come.

“There will always be a certain build–up to a Manchester United–Liverpool game, simply because of the history between the two clubs, the two most successful in the country,” said Ferguson.

“It brings its own agenda in terms of profile and pre–match discussion.”