MANCHESTER, Jan 4 — Ruben Amorim says Manchester United are “starving for leaders” during a turbulent period ahead of a daunting trip to runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool tomorrow. The club have triggered an option to extend former captain Harry Maguire’s contract by a year until 2026. And United will be able to welcome back skipper Bruno Fernandes at Anfield after he was suspended for Monday’s dismal 2-0 defeat to Newcastle.

Defender Maguire, 31, joined the club from Leicester in 2019 and his deal was set to expire at the end of the season. “I spoke with him (Maguire) this morning and I told him he has to improve on the pitch, we need him a lot,” Amorim said yesterday. “Also, he has to improve as a leader.

We all know the situation that he had here (losing the captaincy and falling down the pecking order) but we need him a lot in this moment, so we are going to trigger, happily, the option for him.” Amorim added: “When you look at our team we are starving for leaders on the pitch. He is a leader.

” United have lost four consecutive games to tumble to 14th in the Premier League and are out of the League Cup. The two most successful clubs in English football history could not be heading into tomorrow’s match in more contrasting fashion. Liverpool are six points clear at the top of the table, with a game in hand over second-placed Arsenal, and are closing in on United’s record of 20 English top-flight titles.

United last won at Anfield nine years.