Sunday's North West derby between Manchester United and Liverpool will see the first use of Spidercam technology in the Premier League, after the local council approved plans for implementation earlier this week.

Spidercam is a camera that roves above the pitch, able to capture action across 360 degrees and suspended on four cables - one connected to each corner of the ground.

The technology first came into use in the United States in 1984 and has previously been deployed at Fifa World Cups and in the Uefa Champions League.

Gary Hughes, head of football at Sky Sports, told the Daily Mail: "A game as big as Manchester United against Liverpool feels like the right time to use it for the first time in a Premier League fixture.

"It is one of the biggest games in world football and the intention is to get the viewer closer to the game, which is what this technology enables.