Liverpool’s Title Charge Stalls with 2-2 Draw Against Manchester United | OneFootball

Liverpool 2 – 2 Manchester United – The Premier League Postmortem

The atmosphere at Anfield was still full of festive cheer, as the biggest game of the year (so far) was played out within a footballing arena surrounded by snow and pre-game uncertainty. With both sides facing very differing battles this season, the contest was primed to either solidify the Red’s place as title favourites or finally allow the new Old Trafford manager, Ruben Amorim, a chance to show his coaching credentials within the biggest game in the English game. The draw probably suited Ruben Amorim far more than Arne Slot, however, both will probably be satisfied with a share of the spoils.

Below is how the team lined up, with match details following.

The Starting Eleven

GK – Alisson Becker

RB – Trent Alexander Arnold

RCB – Ibrahima Konaté

LCB – Virgil van Dijk (c)

LB – Andy Robertson

CM – Alexis Mac Allister

ACM – Curtis Jones

CM – Ryan Gravenberch

RF – Mohamed Salah

CF – Luis Díaz

LF – Cody Gakpo

Subs

Darwin Núñez – Luis Díaz (60 mins)

Diogo Jota – Curtis Jones (60 mins)

Harvey Elliott – Cody Gakpo (86 mins)

Conor Bradley – Trent Alexander Arnold (86 mins)

Goals (Assisted by)

Liverpool 0 – 1 Manchester United

Lisandro Martínez (Bruno Fernandes) – 52 mins

Liverpool 1 – 1 Manchester United

Cody Gakpo (Alexis Mac Allister) – 59 mins

Liverpool 2 – 1 Manchester United

Mohamed Salah (Penalty) – 70 mins

Liverpool 2 – 2 Manchester United

Amad Diallo (Alejandro Garnacho) – 80 mins

Important Match Stats

Possession

Liverpool 52% – 48% Manchester United

XG

Liverpool 2.87 – 0.99 Manchester United

Total Shots

Liverpool 19 – 13 Manchester United

Corner Kicks

Liverpool 6 – 9 Manchester United

Off Sides

Liverpool 0 – 4 Manchester United

Fouls

Liverpool 10 – 13 Manchester United

Goalkeeper Saves

Liverpool 2 – 4 Manchester United

The First Half

The beginning of the game was a cautious affair as both teams tried to find their footing amidst the freezing rain that had invaded the stadium. Ryan Gravenberch managed to create space to thread a ball through to Cody Gakpo, who reached the ball first but lifted it over the onrushing keeper. Unfortunately for the Dutch attacker, his effort bobbled wide, and the scores remained level.

Mohamed Salah was next to provide a golden opportunity, using his signature incisive move inside from the far right wing, to deliver a lofted through ball to the onrushing Alexis Mac Allister. The Argentina World Cup winner continued his run and fired a low strike at the keeper, who saved smartly, turning the ball away from goal.

Manchester United then tested the opposition’s keeper next, with Alisson Becker called into action to save a well-struck shot from breakaway striker Rasmus Højlund. This moment seemed to open the game up, as the slick surface and undesirable playing conditions perhaps affected each team’s ability to maintain control throughout the first half on Merseyside. While both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson struggled to carry out their defensive duties successfully, their club captain, Virgil van Dijk, along with his centre-back partner, Ibrahima Konaté, provided a solid presence at the back.

Manchester United appeared eager to make this a toe-to-toe contest, with their playing style being both energetic and at times difficult to control. The midfield battle was particularly enthralling, as Ruben Amorim’s trio of Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, and skipper Bruno Fernandes matched Liverpool’s midfield with a ferocious work rate that seemed to unsettle the home team’s efforts. Luis Díaz appeared position-less at times, while Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo seemed too peripheral in the attack.

The half ended with the score locked at 0-0, leaving everything to play for.

The Second Half

At the start of the second half, Liverpool made no changes to the same eleven players who had played in the first half. In the opening exchanges, little changed in terms of the flow of the game, with sporadic activity at each end. Where the first half had been a slow burn without major impact, the second period would be defined by opportunities and goal involvements.

The Red Devils drew first blood with a fantastic goal that broke the deadlock. With the ball moved along the edge of Liverpool’s 18-yard box, Bruno Fernandes delivered a perfect slide-through ball to find Lisandro Martínez’s penetrating run. The diminutive player unleashed an unstoppable left-footed strike into the roof of the net, reminiscent of a certain Ryan Giggs effort against David Seaman many years ago. The first goal was not against the run of play, as it stemmed from the lacklustre performances of Trent Alexander-Arnold and the unaware-holding midfielder Ryan Gravenberch.

It didn’t take long for the scores to level again, as Liverpool brought urgency to their game. Their standout midfielder, Alexis Mac Allister, found the ideal pass that coincided with Cody Gakpo’s run behind the opposing defensive line. After a clever cutback that left his marker unable to challenge, the former PSV man drove a superb shot into the far corner, igniting the stadium into cheers.

As Arne Slot introduced substitutes to make his team more offensive, the next goal came from a handball by the former Bayern Munich star, Matthijs de Ligt. A hopeful ball into the box was headed onto De Ligt’s outstretched arm, leading VAR to award a penalty. With his usual calm and clinical demeanour, the Egyptian King, Mohamed Salah, converted the spot kick, driving it past André Onana to give his team a 2-1 advantage.

At this point, Liverpool still looked vulnerable, and with so many offensive players on the pitch, the open nature of the encounter resumed. The space allowed Alejandro Garnacho far too much room to move down the wing, leading to a low cross that landed at the feet of goal-scorer Amad Diallo. The Reds’ vice-captain, Trent Alexander-Arnold, was again culpable in allowing the run and cross, while his opposite fullback, Andy Robertson, failed to successfully stop the shot.

Conor Bradley came into the match late and showcased brilliant enthusiasm, something painfully lacking in his vice-captain’s display. The cavalier outlook of the Premier League table-toppers was again apparent, perhaps highlighting the need for a specialist defensive midfielder to shield the overworked defence. Although Virgil van Dijk was superb in his resistance, it became evident that more structure was needed to close out games effectively.

The match ended with a 2-2 scoreline, disappointing the hosts and rejuvenating the visitors.

Final Thoughts

This match was a fine spectacle, showcasing moments of brilliance and areas needing improvement for Arne Slot’s side. With games in the EFL Cup and FA Cup incoming for the Anfield giants, that period must be used to realign the coordination of a side that is conceding too many chances and too many goals.

Steven Smith’s Score Prediction;

Liverpool 2 – 0 Manchester United