X reacts as Liverpool and Man Utd share spoils in Anfield thriller

Liverpool vs Manchester United is always a game that makes hearts beat faster.

For the fans of the two clubs it is probably the biggest game of their respective calendars – yes, bigger in a footballing sense than the Merseyside and Manchester derby – and for the neutrals it is a game that always captivates you.

The first installment from 2025 certainly lived up to its expectations, right from the moment the sky decided to dump a huge amount of snow in the northwest. There was plenty of travel chaos and some doubt as to whether the game would actually happen – fortunately for everyone watching in person at home and around the world, it was.

Here’s how an eventful 90 and a few minutes unfolded in the world of social media…

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Liverpool’s wonderful start to the season is due in large part to the performances of Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo, Virgil, etc. Okay, basically anyone who has worn the club’s famous red.

One player who has really been missing from the club in recent weeks, despite his strong performances on the pitch, is centre-back Ibrahima Konate. The Frenchman has formed a really strong and effective partnership with Virgil van Dijk and many see him as a catalyst for all the great things happening further up the pitch.

So it was no surprise that Konate’s name was front and center for X when it was announced he would be starting.

Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister were consistently brilliant for Liverpool and really thrived under Arne Slot’s management, but Ryan Gravenberch was perhaps the best in midfield.

The Dutchman was a minor figure under Jurgen Klopp, leading many to speculate that his Liverpool career was going nowhere, but his outstanding composure on the ball has shone throughout the 2024/25 season.

Against United, Gravenberch continued on his merry way, putting in another great performance against the duo of Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte – who themselves were far better than at any point this season.

In the first 45 minutes, Ruben Amorim’s United made a brilliant transition, stifling Liverpool’s attacking play while causing problems of their own.

The Reds did have chances, with Gakpo shooting just wide after being played from behind, but United were more than capable of holding onto the ball and looked fully capable of taking advantage of a poor defensive day from Trent Alexander-Arnold .

Most of their threat came from the left and they should have taken the lead in the first half through Rasmus Hojlund, but the Dane’s rather weak attempt was confidently saved by Alisson.

Seven minutes into the second half, an unlikely hero showed Hojlund how it should be done…

Slots Liverpool haven’t had everything going their way this season and have struggled to split teams up at times. But given the quality they possess, it will be no surprise if they find their way back thanks to individual quality.

Mac Allister’s brilliant, weighty pass fell to Gakpo and the Dutchman once again showed his class, firing a superb shot past Andre Onana.

Wherever Matthijs de Ligt goes, the handballs tend to follow him.

Unfortunately this was the case again as a stray arm gave Mohamed Salah the opportunity to score from the penalty spot…

Would Salah keep his cool and maintain his brilliant goalscoring record against Manchester United?

You probably know the answer to this question…

While Salah is inevitable for Liverpool, United fans feel the same way about Amad Diallo in big games.

The Ivorian famously scored the winning goal when United beat Liverpool 4-3 in the FA Cup last season, and his last-gasp winner helped the Red Devils to a famous comeback win against Manchester City just weeks ago.

So when a chance arose for Amad after Alejandro Garnacho exploited more space on the left, there was only ever one result…

The stats show the game was fairly even – Liverpool had 19 shots to 13, including six on target, compared to United’s four.

The Premier League leaders’ xG was also significantly superior to United’s, but it could have been Amorim’s side that would have taken all three points had Harry Maguire not shot the ball home from 12 yards out seconds before the end of the penalty area would have scored a goal.

Substitute Joshua Zirkzee appeared to be almost offside as he got behind Andy Robertson, but his effort on Maguire wasn’t the greatest as he rolled towards the England defender. As a result, he couldn’t control his effort and fired high over the crossbar as X users clenched their cheeks.

A great game that Amorim will get a lot out of.

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