Manchester United improved considerably at Anfield on Sunday afternoon by drawing 2-2 with Premier League leaders Liverpool.
United went into the game on the back of a four-game losing streak and closer to the relegation zone than the European places, but they were brilliant here and more than worth their point.
Liverpool they battled through the competition and will undoubtedly feel like this was a missed opportunity after Arsenal drew at Brighton on Saturday, but their lead at the top is still a healthy six points after having played a game less than their rivals.
How the match unfolded
The filthy conditions at Anfield shouldn’t have come as too much of a surprise given that postponement was considered on Sunday morning. An almighty rendition of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ warmed the Scouse spirits on a dreary afternoon on Merseyside, but United’s competent first 45 minutes initially caused a sense of woeful delusion among the home crowd.
Questions that were so different from Newcastle they were softened by Ruben Amorim opting for a young and dynamic midfielder, and while the proactivity of United’s centre-halves presented alternative problems, their aggression was undoubtedly a net positive.
Liverpool are made to work against the stubborn United a block that only occasionally allowed space between the lines. Smooth interplay was needed to break through and the Reds came close to breaking through through Cody Gakpo.
The Dutchman’s chance came amid a flurry of strikes from the home side, but United did not allow Liverpool to build momentum in the first half and it was the visitors who would not have wanted the half-time whistle to arrive.
Their combination play was effective, allowing them to escape Liverpool’s vaunted counter-press, and they had plenty of fun targeting the Reds’ right-hand side. After Amad Diallo’s header was wrong to give United the lead, Alisson expertly denied Rasmus Hojlund one-on-one.
Arne Slot was no stranger to lifting his side at the break and the visitors needed a surge against their great historic rivals. Their task became more difficult just minutes after the restart as Lisandro Martinez scored a deserved opener for Amorim’s side – their first at Anfield in more than six years.
It then looked as if United would build on their opener, but Liverpool’s first drive forward after falling behind resulted in an equaliser. Cody Gakpo is a man in form, and his finish was a striker who boasts the most confidence in front of goal. Matthijs de Ligt was responsible for giving Gakpo the space to shoot after he dived, and the Dutch defender was once again the protagonist of the defense as Liverpool took the lead.
De Ligt was booked for handshakes in the penalty area following VAR intervention and Mohamed Salah was on hand to put the Red Devils back in the hunt when he scored from the spot.
Some might have expected the Reds to finally take control and walk away with the contest, but United refused to go away and quickly regained their foothold before leveling the scores through Amado Diallo. Amorim’s side again got in behind from Liverpool’s right and Amad was on hand to convert Alejandro Garnacho’s first-time cross.
The tie led to an utterly enthralling conclusion with both teams spurning great chances to win an old game of Premier League football. After Virgil van Dijk headed straight at Andrea Onana, United broke through but Joshua Zirkzee’s cross fell to the feet of Harry Maguire, who predictably burst into flames.
See Liverpool vs Man Utd player ratings here.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will be hoping Florentino Perez enjoyed his afternoon nap on Sunday. There was a lot of talk about the free transfer of the right back to Real Madrid transfer this summer, but the Englishman was more Jonathan Woodgate than David Beckham against the Red Devils.
By the end of the first half, almost 60% of United’s attacks were coming from Liverpool’s right.
Alexander-Arnold’s nonchalance occasionally turned into indifference, while Diogo Dalot persistently stood behind the Englishman. The right-back has generally defended well this term with an excellent campaign, but this performance was a throwback to the old stereotype. His ball handling was also sloppy.
He may not have been helped by a rusty Ibrahima Konata, who struggled to defend the channel with his usual strength after returning to the team. However, the player obviously Real Madrid caliber has to take ownership of his flank but United ran wild when Alexander-Arnold was on target.
Booked and bound for the end of a miserable afternoon.
OK, United didn’t full week off, but this was their longest interval between games since Amorim took over.
The Red Devils undoubtedly profited. Their plans were clear in and out of possession, with a marked improvement from Newcastle on Monday night. Amorim identified his centre-backs’ indecisiveness when dropping into midfield as a key problem since last time out, with all three making a concerted effort to keep Liverpool out between the lines here. It wasn’t until the tricky Reds trio drifted off the shoulders of United’s center that problems arose.
Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo were mostly disciplined as they offered composure in possession, but their positional discipline was mercilessly tested and there were several lapses. This is to be expected against a powerful opponent who is very good at breaking down defensive structures. Bruno Fernandes chipped in after Mainoo was withdrawn and the United captain was arguably the best player on the pitch in the second half.
It wasn’t perfect but Amorim, who described his players as ‘too scared’ to perform in the build-up to Sunday’s game, will take great satisfaction from his work on the training pitch. His team was more than just competent at Anfield. They could have easily walked away with all three points.
Liverpool certainly didn’t have it all their own way against the improved Red Devils, but one man who always seemed in control was Mac Allister.
The Argentinian’s role under Sloto is more fluid than it was under Jurgen Klopp, with the German looking to Mac Allister to alleviate Liverpool’s holding midfield problems during his swansong campaign. The emergence of Ryan Gravenberch has given Mac Allister more freedom, with the former Brighton man taking over the all-rounder.
Not only is he tasked with supporting Gravenberch in the build-up, but he is required to run off the shoulders of opposition midfielders and offer a point of reference between the lines. Here we saw his best interpretation in space, with Mac Allister testing Andre Onana after meeting Salah’s deft in-behind pass.
The midfielder’s subtle but masterful work with the ball was matched by his petulance without it, and while his team-mates struggled to match their power level on home soil, Mac Allister refused to back down. He also had a hand in both goals.
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