Adam Lallana is keen for his first taste of victory over Manchester United as a Liverpool player.

Liverpool have lost all four Premier League matches against their fierce rivals since Lallana moved north from Southampton before the 2014-15 season.

The England midfielder and his team-mates have the chance to make amends when Louis van Gaal's team travel to Anfield for the first leg of an eagerly anticipated Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday.

"I've not won a game against Manchester United in my time here and we want to put that right," Lallana told a pre-match news conference.

"I think it will be just like a Premier League game. It's got the makings of a special tie.

"You don't have to be local to understand the significance of this rivalry. You feel the importance in the build-up."

United and Liverpool lie sixth and seventh in the Premier League respectively, despite recent improvements in form.

Liverpool's last-gasp 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace marked the first time this season they have won three consecutive league games and Lallana, who scored in the preceding 3-0 triumph at home to Manchester City, feels Thursday's high-profile showdown could be arriving at the perfect time.

"It's a good moment for us at the minute," he said. "We've won three in a row and we're aiming to finish the season with something special.

"We've played well against so-called bigger teams this season. We're confident we can get through over the two legs."

Lallana's international colleague James Milner is a doubt for Thursday after missing Liverpool's training session on Tuesday with a virus.