Manchester United's transformation from their last Anfield outing has been nothing short of remarkable and Erik ten Hag must take almost all of the credit.
The Dutchman was not yet in the Old Trafford hot-sat when United last faced Liverpool on their own patch, but he'd have been concerned with what he saw as a Ralf Rangnick-led Red Devils side were put to the sword and beaten 4-0 by arguably their most fierce rivals.
United found themselves 2-0 down inside 22 minutes after goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah before Sadio Mane added a third and Salah capped off the dominant display by securing his brace. The travelling Red Devils faithful could barely watch as Liverpool ran riot.
After the game, the fall-out was brutal from a United perspective. They were in the firing line from fans and pundits alike, with Graeme Souness particularly scathing when reviewing the performance for Sky Sports.
"If you were to pick a strongest eleven [out of the two teams] I wouldn't pick a Man United player in that eleven," the Liverpool legend claimed.
"You just cannot put a United player in that team and it shows how far off they are. Man United are a truly enormous club on the world stage, and how far they've dropped has been exposed again."
HAVE YOUR SAY! How will United fare against Liverpool on Sunday? Comment below
While Rangnick was seriously questioned in the aftermath, it was the players who took pelters from Souness as he went on: "No one holds up a mirror and asks if they're part of the problem. Managers come and go these boys get the manager sacked for fun.
"Right now that group have taken United to where they are. Man United are magnificent, one of the greatest football clubs in the world for what they've achieved, the disasters they've been through... They should not be struggling with a group of players like that it's not acceptable."
Well, fast forward just shy of a year and United are struggling no more. In fact, ahead of this Anfield showdown, it is actually Liverpool that come into the contest the more wounded of the two.
Klopp's troops languish as low as sixth in the table, while United are being discussed as outside contenders for the title as well as boasting a 10-point advantage over their Merseyside enemies.
Ten Hag has overseen a remarkable turnaround during his relatively brief time in the Old Trafford hot seat and United, 11 months after suffering humiliation on the same ground, go into this clash at Anfield believing they can come away with what would be a vital win.
Souness' claims were brutal but fair, though they don't ring true to the current crop of United stars, who have seemingly fully bought into Ten Hag's project and are desperate to go the distance for the Dutchman, starting with a win at Liverpool.
