WHEN Manchester United played host to Liverpool at Old Trafford last season, the eyes of the football world were on one man - Eric Cantona. When the same teams meet at the same venue tomorrow, all eyes will be on one man once again - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The 23-year-old United striker has set English football alight this season since joining the Old Trafford giants in the summer from Norwegian club Molde for GBP1.5 million. Solskjaer, who has been nicknamed the 'baby-faced killer' by United fans, has already scored five goals in eight appearances, four of them as a substitute. In the build-up to last year's United-Liverpool match, the centre of attention was Frenchman Cantona, who was making his comeback after an eight-month ban for assaulting a Crystal Palace fan at Selhurst Park in January 1995. On such a stage, Cantona lived up to his star billing by creating United's early opener for Nicky Butt and then salvaging a 2-2 draw from the penalty spot after two marvellous goals for the visitors from Robbie Fowler. Now it's the turn of Norwegian international Solskjaer, who is likely to partner Cantona up front for the league champions against the league leaders in English football's Match of the Season so far. United boss Alex Ferguson says of Solskjaer: 'The boy's been a real eye-opener. I was looking to bring him into the team in maybe six months' time but he was given an early chance and has been superb. 'He's improved in every game and every training session. 'You just cannot keep him out of the team. He's been a revelation and has surprised us all.' United skipper Cantona added: 'He is scoring goals and that makes him a very important player.' Regarding tomorrow's match, Cantona commented: 'It is still very early in the season to be talking about winning the championship; as far as we're concerned it's important not to lose. 'We are four points behind Liverpool and don't want the gap getting much bigger at this stage. Liverpool and Newcastle are both going well and we don't want to spend the rest of the season trying to catch the top teams.' Although unbeaten in eight Premiership outings, United have already dropped eight points from four draws and stand fourth on 16 points, four behind leaders Liverpool, who are also unbeaten. United are still without the injured Roy Keane (knee) so their midfield is likely to be Karel Poborsky, David Beckham, Butt and Ryan Giggs. At the back it will be Peter Schmeichel in goal and a back four of Gary Neville, Ronny Johnsen (or David May), Gary Pallister and Denis Irwin. There is no love lost between these two clubs at the best of times and the atmosphere is already charged following a bad foul by Liverpool's Neil Ruddock on United's Andy Cole in a reserve team match at Anfield last Saturday. Cole, who suffered a broken right fibula and also a broken bone below his left knee, will be out for at least two months. Liverpool duo Fowler and Dominic Matteo had to withdraw from the England squad because of injury and central defender Ruddock may well step up from the reserves if Matteo is still not fit. If United's find-of-the-season is Solskjaer, Liverpool's is Patrik Berger, who was signed for GBP3 million from German champions Borussia Dortmund. The Czech Republic striker went on to score twice against Leicester and then against Chelsea. Berger and Poborsky were teammates for the Czech Republic when they finished runners-up to Germany in the 1996 European Championship and the fact they could oppose each other tomorrow highlights the Premiership's continental flavour. There's also a Norwegian connection, with Solskjaer and Johnsen on United's books and left-back Stig Inge Bjornebye well established on Liverpool's. One player who has settled down to life at Anfield is the former Bolton Wanderers midfielder and Irish World Cup star Jason McAteer, who plays on the opposite flank to Bjornebye. His confrontation tomorrow with United's brilliant Welsh winger Ryan Giggs could hold the key to the match.