"They'll be coming looking for maximum points because that would virtually win them the league," said Liverpool's captain, well aware that United will kick off their lunchtime game on Merseyside boasting a nine-point lead over Chelsea at the top of Premiership.
Jose Mourinho's team visit Portsmouth later in the afternoon and Gerrard would like to see United's lead reduced to six points by Saturday tea-time. "We've got to make sure we get the points and keep the title race going for as long as possible," insisted the England midfielder in an interview with Liverpool's official website. "It's not over at the moment and that's why this is a massive game."
The so-called "M62 rivalry" between Manchester United and Liverpool ranks as one of the most intense in football and Gerrard risked accusations of heresy from his club's more fanatical supporters when he admitted: "It hurts to say this but United have been playing some really good attacking football this season. They're also really hard to beat because they have some great defenders."
If that was conceivably a coded message to the sometimes tactically cautious Rafael Benítez, perhaps hinting that emulating a few of Ferguson's swashbuckling game plans might be welcome, there is no doubt the Merseyside-born Gerrard would relish undoing United. "The rivalry for this fixture has got bigger and bigger over the years," he explained. "These are the games you want to play in."
With Barcelona, defeated by Benítez's men at Camp Nou last week, due at Anfield on Tuesday for the second leg of their Champions League duel, Liverpool are contemplating two such high-adrenalin fixtures in a week.
"I'm in the city among all the banter and I know our fans are desperate to win this weekend," added Gerrard. "If we can give a big performance and get the right result then it will give us all a big confidence booster for the Barcelona game."
Not to mention a sense of what might have been in the league. "It's just a pity there's not as much riding on this game in terms of a Liverpool title challenge as we'd have hoped," conceded Gerrard whose side are 16 points behind United. "We have to look at the silly points we dropped earlier in the season.
"We've got a massive week coming up with United and Barcelona but we need to take them one at a time. We'll never get a result against United unless we're 100% focused on that game. It's an exciting week ahead but the important thing is getting the right results."
Gerrard's team-mate, Dirk Kuyt, is equally aware of the challenge facing the club as they seek their first Premiership victory over United at Anfield since a 3-1 win in November 2001. "Facing Manchester United is one of the most important games you can play in a season, so no one can be thinking about Barcelona until after this match," said the 26-year-old Dutchman. "I want to score and beat Manchester United."
Liverpool's players are also acutely aware that the club's takeover by the US sports moguls George Gillett and Tom Hicks is approaching a conclusion.
The Americans' bid was officially lodged nine days ago, and shareholders have until March 12 to decide whether they want to sell. The vast majority, it is believed, will do so because of the package of privileges and season ticket rights being offered as an inducement.
Gillett and Hicks need to reach a 75% target to take unconditional control, and they are already close to achieving that figure. If it has been reached by the end of the week, they could fly in from the United States to watch the Manchester United and Barcelona games. But they will not do that unless they have the three-quarters stake they want.