Manchester United showed a much better performance at Anfield on Sunday afternoon when they were held to a 2-2 draw against Premier League leaders Liverpool.
United came into the game on the back of a four-game losing streak and were closer to the drop zone than the European teams, but they were brilliant here and more than well deserved their point.
Liverpool have struggled through the competition and will no doubt feel this was a missed opportunity after Arsenal drew at Brighton on Saturday, but their lead at the top is still a whopping six points having played a game less have than their rivals.
How the game developed
Given that postponement was being discussed on Sunday morning, the dirty conditions at Anfield shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise. An almighty rendition of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ lifted Scouse’s spirits on a miserable Merseyside afternoon, but a competent display from United in the opening 45 minutes initially left the home crowd feeling abjectly deluded.
The problems that were so pronounced against Newcastle were alleviated by Ruben Amorim opting for a youthful and dynamic midfielder, and although the proactivity of United’s centre-backs presented other problems, their aggressiveness was undoubtedly a positive throughout.
Liverpool had to work against a stubborn United block that only occasionally cleared space between the lines. The breakthrough required some clever interplay and the Reds almost made the breakthrough through Cody Gakpo.
The Dutchman’s chance came after a series of shots from the home side, but United failed to let Liverpool get going in the first half and it was the visitors who would not have wanted the half-time whistle to blow.
Their combination play was efficient and allowed them to escape Liverpool’s vaunted counter-pressing, and they had plenty of joy in targeting the Reds’ right side. After Amad Diallo missed a header to give United the lead, Alisson Rasmus Hojlund made an expert save in a one-on-one.
Arne Slot was no stranger to outplaying his side at the break and the visitors had to prevail over their great historic rivals. Their task became even more difficult just minutes after the restart when Lisandro Martinez scored Amorim’s side’s deserved lead – their first at Anfield in more than six years.
Afterwards it looked as if United would build on the first goal, but Liverpool’s first attempt from behind led to an equaliser. Cody Gakpo is a man in form and his finishing was that of a striker who boasted supreme confidence in front of goal. Matthijs de Ligt was responsible for giving Gakpo the space to shoot after his break-in and the Dutch defender was once again the defensive protagonist as Liverpool took the lead.
De Ligt was penalized for his handball in the penalty area following a VAR intervention and Mohamed Salah was once again on hand to chase the Red Devils as he scored from the spot.
Some might have expected the Reds to finally take control and bow out of the game, but United refused to let up and quickly regained their footing before equalizing through Amad Diallo. Amorim’s side fell behind again on Liverpool’s right and Amad was there to convert Alejandro Garnacho’s cross for the first time.
The equalizer made for a very exciting finish, with both teams wasting golden chances to win a top-flight Premier League football match. After Virgil van Dijk headed straight at Andre Onana, United defended at the last moment but Joshua Zirkzee’s cross fell to the feet of Harry Maguire, who predictably shot over.
Check out Liverpool vs Man Utd player ratings here.
Trent Alexander-Arnold hopes Florentino Perez enjoyed a nap on Sunday. There has been a lot of talk about the right-back joining Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer, but the Englishman looked more like Jonathan Woodgate than David Beckham against the Red Devils.
At the end of the first half, almost 60% of United’s attacks were concentrated on Liverpool’s right side.
Alexander-Arnold’s nonchalance turned into indifference at times, and Diogo Dalot persistently stood behind the Englishman. The right-back has defended well for the most part in an excellent campaign this season, but this performance was a return to the old cliché. His work with the ball was also poor.
Perhaps he wasn’t helped by a rusty Ibrahima Konate, who struggled to defend the channel with his usual vigor after returning to the team. Nonetheless, a player of Real Madrid’s obvious caliber needs to take control of their cross, but United ran amok when Alexander-Arnold was the target.
Booked and hooked after a miserable afternoon.
Okay, United didn’t have one full week off, but this was the longest break between games since Amorim took over.
The Red Devils have undoubtedly benefited from this. Their plans were clear both in and out of possession and Newcastle’s improvement on Monday night was clear. Amorim identified his centre-backs’ hesitation in dropping into midfield as a key issue since the last outing, with all three making a concerted effort here to avoid Liverpool between the lines. Problems only arose when the Reds’ clever trio slipped off the shoulder of the United pivot.
Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo were disciplined for the most part and ensured composure in possession, but their positional discipline was mercilessly tested and there were a few mistakes. This is to be expected against a formidable opponent who is incredibly good at tearing apart defensive structures. Bruno Fernandes came into play smartly after Mainoo withdrew 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 in his work on the training pitch. His team was more than just competent at Anfield. They could have easily escaped with all three points.
Liverpool certainly didn’t have everything on their side against the improved Red Devils, but one man who always seemed to be in control was Mac Allister.
The Argentine role is more fluid under Slot than under Jürgen Klopp, with the German asking Mac Allister to mitigate Liverpool’s defensive midfield deficiencies during his farewell season. The emergence of Ryan Gravenberch has given Mac Allister greater freedom, with the former Brighton man taking on an all-encompassing role.
Not only is he tasked with supporting Gravenberch in building play, but he is also tasked with running off the shoulders of opposing midfielders and providing a reference point between the lines. We saw the best of his reading of space here as Mac Allister tested Andre Onana after latching on to Salah’s deft pass.
The midfielder’s subtle but masterful work with the ball was matched by his grit even without it, and while his team-mates struggled to reach their commanding level on home soil, Mac Allister refused to bat an eyelid. He was also involved in both goals.