Premier League: Liverpool 2 Manchester United 2
An evening of some redemption for Manchester United was not without its customary agony at Anfield. Seconds remained of a gripping battle between the two old rivals when Joshua Zirkzee, taunted mercilessly by the Old Trafford faithful on Monday, found himself staring down at Alisson’s goal.
He spurned the shot at glory in favour of teeing up Harry Maguire, another maligned figure during United’s long fall from grace. He found Row Z of the Anfield Road Stand, and United’s wait for a first win at Liverpool in nine years goes on. Ruben Amorim sank to his haunches as the late miss unfolded and soon exited down the Anfield tunnel, although there was much to encourage the troubled United head coach here.
Liverpool remain six points clear at the Premier League summit and on course to match United’s 20 league titles by the season’s end, they equalled the club’s longest sequence of games unbeaten against United too. But there was frustration in the home ranks at failing to intensify their rivals’ misery.
The prerequisites of fight and organisation were on display from United. Quality and confidence were lacking, understandably in the case of the latter, but at least there was a clear plan to contain the Premier League leaders and a determination to chisel out a result.
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There were also legs in the visiting midfield after Amorim dropped Casemiro and Christian Eriksen to the bench following Monday’s defeat by Newcastle and recalled Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo to the centre.
The desire to move on from Newcastle extended to the travelling supporters, who sang Zirkzee’s name in acknowledgment of the humiliation he endured when jeered off after 33 minutes at Old Trafford.
United were compact, denying space to Liverpool throughout the first half, though both sides fashioned excellent chances to lift the mood of a cold and drenched crowd. The snow may have been cleared before kick off but the overnight fall and incessant rain that followed made for a sodden pitch.
Liverpool made light of the conditions to create the game’s first opportunity through two superb passes, from Luis Díaz to Ryan Gravenberch and on to Cody Gakpo. The Netherlands international beat André Onana with a deft chip only for his effort to sail over the United goalkeeper and wide of the far post.
Another exquisite pass opened up the visiting defence again moments later. Mohamed Salah read Alexis Mac Allister’s run to perfection. The World Cup winner, outstanding for Liverpool yet again, connected first time with Salah’s lofted ball but Onana blocked with his legs at close range.
Liverpool pressure was mounting, so too the sense of an inevitable breakthrough.
It was to United’s credit that it proved a fleeting sensation in the first half. Amorim’s team combined defensive resilience with a threat of their own. The visitors’ greatest threat came down their left with Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot and Rasmus Højlund all prospering in space behind Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Scrutiny was more intense than ever on the Liverpool right back following Real Madrid’s failed approach for his services earlier in the week. The spotlight was unforgiving.
Amad Diallo should have edged United ahead when Dalot broke clear of Alexander-Arnold and centred to the young winger, unmarked in the six yard box. Diallo got ahead of the cross, however, and managed to steer a header away from Alisson’s goal, taking an accidental knee to the back from the Liverpool keeper in the process.
Shortly before the break Højlund had another fine chance to open the scoring when angling his run behind the Liverpool defence and latching on to Lisandro Martínez’s through ball. Alisson saved from a tight angle before Alexander-Arnold blocked Mainoo’s follow-up.
Second-half improvements have been a characteristic of Liverpool’s title charge. This one was not without complications and the necessity to dig into those vast reserves of experience and belief. Seven minutes after the restart United stunned Anfield when taking the lead in style.
Martínez was first to a hopeful clearance from Alexander-Arnold and fed Fernandes before continuing his charge into the Liverpool area. The United captain returned a polished pass into Martínez who lashed an unstoppable finish in off the underside of Alisson’s crossbar from a tight angle.
The defender’s first goal of the season sparked wild celebrations in the United section. They were curtailed after seven minutes when Gakpo struck an equally impressive finish from an awkward angle. Played in on the left by Mac Allister, Gakpo was invited to cut back on to his right foot by a careless, over-committed lunge from Matthijs De Ligt. The striker took full advantage of his international teammate’s lapse to beat Onana with a blistering shot into the roof of the net.
De Ligt was caught out for a second time when Liverpool took the lead thanks to an intervention from VAR. Referee Michael Oliver initially waved play on when Mac Allister’s header from an Alexander-Arnold cross struck the United defender’s raised arm. The proximity could have been the only reason. VAR advised a look at the pitchside monitor. De Ligt’s arm was raised in an unnatural position and Salah swept the resulting, inevitable penalty past Onana’s left hand.
United summoned fight and endeavour once more. Fernandes released Alejandro Garnacho down the left with a fine pass. The substitute dragged a low cross behind a retreating Liverpool defence and there was Diallo to squeeze in an equaliser from six yards out. Both teams could have nicked victory in a frenzied finale. Fernandes almost caught out Alisson at his near post, Diogo Jota had a shot deflected over and Virgil van Dijk headed tamely at Onana from the resulting corner. – Guardian
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