OneFootball
Peter Fitzpatrick·5 de enero de 2025
OneFootball
Peter Fitzpatrick·5 de enero de 2025
Liverpool and Manchester United drew 2-2 at Anfield in a game fitting of the biggest rivalry in English football.
Scorers: Gakpo 59', Salah (pen) 70'; Martínez 52', Amad 80'
The game got off to a relatively even start, with United looking to keep things tight and quieten the crowd.
Liverpool did get the first two chances though, Luis Díaz blazing over at the end of a pinball in the box, before Cody Gakpo lifted one wide of the post shortly after.
Alexis Mac Allister had their next opening as they picked things up, latching onto a great Mohamed Salah ball to volley straight at André Onana, who did well.
United should have taken the lead in the 20th minute through Amad, who missed a gilt-edged chance with the goal gaping. Bruno Fernandes played through Liverpool's high line, Diogo Dalot put the ball in and the Ivorian misjudged his header six yards out.
Rasmus Højlund missed United's next best chance, hitting straight at Alisson just before the break, after timing his run well and getting behind the home defence.
The half ended with United the happier, having put in arguably their best 45 minutes of the Ruben Amorim era.
United continued to stay on top after the break, and took the lead through Lisandro Martínez in the 52nd minute. Trent Alexander-Arnold gave away the ball, allowing Bruno Fernandes to slip in the Argentine, who smashed the ball high over Alisson.
Their lead lasted just seven minutes, Cody Gakpo brilliantly cutting inside a flailing Matthijs de Ligt, and firing past Onana after being slipped in by Mac Allister.
Liverpool turned the game on its head just over 10 minutes later, Mohamed Salah firing home from the spot after de Ligt made another mistake, this time handling the ball.
United rallied, and levelled in the 80th minute through Amad, who slipped the ball under Alisson from a Alejandro Garnacho pullback.
Virgil van Dijk headed straight at Onana, before Harry Maguire blazed over with the near-final kick of the game.
A draw was ultimately fair, which keeps Liverpool six points clear with a game in hand, and gives United something to build on.
📸 DARREN STAPLES - AFP or licensors