James Gordon
Alisson brilliantly blocked a furious shot by Paul Pogba
Manchester United missed the chance to beat Liverpool, coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said after his side lost top spot in the Premier League following a goalless draw with the champions.
The match did not live up to pre-match expectations and Solskjaer knows his team has a better chance of winning at Anfield.
Liverpool, without their proven central defender and with midfielders Jordan Henderson and Fabinho in defence, dominated the first half but United could only come close thanks to a Bruno Fernandez free kick from 20 yards that just missed the target.
Fernandez failed to beat Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson after the break, before Thiago’s long-range strike finally troubled the tireless David de Gea.
Alisson became Liverpool’s hero when he blocked Paul Pogba’s shot from close range.
With the chances we had, it was a missed opportunity, but again we played against a very good team, Solskjaer told Sport. I’m disappointed, but it’s always good when you win the next time.
We’re getting better and we’re making progress. It’s not just the result that disappoints us, it’s a performance of sorts. I know these guys can play better.
United are now two points clear of Manchester City, who moved into second place after beating Crystal Palace 4-0, and Leicester City in third. Liverpool, who have scored just one goal in their last four league games, have slipped to fourth place, one point behind the Foxes.
I think the game was good enough to win it, but to win the game you need to score goals and we didn’t do that, that’s why we have this result, Klopp said.
We try to score points and we try not to score points. Obviously, we should ignore this fact and hope that everything will be fine again.
Liverpool and Klopp disappoint again
Luke Shaw (left) of Manchester United 
Liverpool failed to score in their last three Premier League games – their longest run since another three games in February and March 2005.
Liverpool coach Klopp cut an exasperated figure from kick-off, his voice resonating at Anfield with a tone of frustration that showed his displeasure with his own players and the officials.
Klopp’s side, who have been through such times, are going through a very dry spell and have barely managed to cope with Manchester United’s resolute defence.
All too often Liverpool’s approach play ended with a failed pass or a cross without a goal, and the longer this play went on, the more likely United were to win the game.
Liverpool have failed to maintain their ruthless style, but it is feared that they have already gone four league games without a win, as Crystal Palace were demolished 7-0 at Selhurst Park.
Klopp praised Liverpool’s performance despite the draw.
West Bromwich Albion left Anfield with a point for the draw, while Liverpool also drew at Newcastle and lost at Southampton.
Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah are currently eating the remains, while Roberto Firmino’s impact was so minimal that he was eventually recalled despite Liverpool’s pursuit of a goal.
A good team like Liverpool will not be out of form for too long, but there is no doubt that they are struggling for form and momentum right now. This is evidenced by the fact that this is their longest losing streak since February and March 2005.
Mann ltd missed a big opportunity?
Manchester United have not recorded a penalty in the first half of a Premier League match for the first time since the Watford game in December 2019.
Manchester United may have scored a point for the game and will be rightly pleased with their victory over Liverpool, who created the best chances of the game and remained top of the standings.
However, it is disappointing that they could not play to their full potential against Liverpool and only realised very late on that they could have taken all three points.
Fernandez almost opened the scoring twice for Liverpool despite his poor performance, while Solskjaer and his team raised their hands in frustration in the dressing room as more good chances were wasted in the dying moments.
In the end, however, few will complain about the result, which leaves them three points clear of Liverpool FC at Anfield, for whom negotiations went smoothly.
United are well organised and find their feet after a disappointing first half hour. Captain Harry Maguire and left back Luke Shaw are real defensive heroes, the latter being particularly notable.
This is an achievement that will give them more confidence and conviction in leadership – even though they may look back and think it could have been so easy – three.
Solskjaer was disappointed with the missed opportunity to win at Anfield.
This is a missed opportunity – Response.
said Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: They are a good team and they have some injury problems, but we didn’t take advantage of that.
I felt like we were adjusting to the game, getting stronger and stronger and getting closer to winning.
We were a little disappointed with the performance, not just the result. We didn’t play well enough in the first half to cause them problems, but we defended well and they didn’t create too many chances. But I think everyone was a little disappointed with the way we started the game, but it’s a good feeling – that we were disappointed with the performance.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp told Sport: The performance was good and the first half was exceptional.
With everything that was said before the game – United were flying and we were fighting – and then to play a game like that, I was happy.
We tried again in the second half, but you can’t match United for 90 minutes, not with the counter-attacking power they have. So they had two very good chances, I must say, but we also had our chances in the second half.
The way we understood the game, the way we felt it, the way we read the moments was really good. But things are not quite as they should be, so we have room for improvement, absolutely. We will continue to work on this.
Man ltd extends its invincibility streak to outdoors –Stats
- Liverpool and Manchester United have drawn 0-0 three times in the last five seasons in the Anfield League, as many times as in the last 48 games in the top flight.
- United are unbeaten in their last 16 Premier League away games (W12 D4) – only if they have not lost an away game in this competition (17 games to September 1999).
- Liverpool are now unbeaten in their last 68 Premier League games at Anfield and have collected 178 points from a possible 204 in this period.
- United became the first team to stop Liverpool in a Premier League match against Manchester City in October 2018 – the 43rd time they had done so. Liverpool have been playing at home in the league ever since.
- Under Klopp’s guidance, Liverpool are unbeaten in all seven Premier League games at Anfield as they take on a team at the top of the table (W3 D4).
- Marcus Rashford has been outplayed five times in this game. That makes him the most successful player in the Premier League this season and United’s most successful player since six-year-old Robin van Persie against Spurs in January 2013.
What’s the next step?
United play Fulham in the league on Wednesday (20:15 CET) and host Liverpool play Burnley on Thursday (20:00 CET). Manchester United and Liverpool meet next Sunday – this time at Old Trafford – for the fourth round of the FA Cup. The match can be watched live on One and Sport.
The player of the game
AlissonAlisson
Lines
Liverpool
Formation of a 4-3-3
1Alisson
66Alexander-Arnold3Fabinho14Henderson26Robertson
23Shakiri6Tiago Alcantara5Vinnaldum
11Salah9Firmino10Mane
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-Arnold
- 3FabinhoReservation on 65Minutes
- 14 Henderson.
- 26Robertson.
- 23ShakiriBooking at the 33rd minuteJonsat’s replacement at the 76th minute
- 6Tiago Alcantara
- 5VijnaldumReplaced by Milner inside 89’min.
- 11Salah
- 9FirminReplaced for Origiat 85’minutes
- 10 Manet
Replaces
- 7Miller
- 15Oxlada-Chamberlain
- 17 Jones
- 18 Minamino
- 27Origi
- 46R Williams
- 47Phillips
- 62Kelleher
- 76H Williams
Human LLC
4-2-3-1 training
1st Gea
29From Bissaka2Lindelef5Maguire23Shaw
39McTominay17Fred
6Pogba18Bruno Fernandez9Martial
10Rashford
- 1st Gea
- 29Van Bissaka
- 2Lindlef
- 5Maguire.
- 23Display
- 39McTominay
- 17Fred
- 6Pogba
- 18Bruno FernandezReplaced by Greenwood 89’minutes
- 9MartialSubstituteforCavanen61′-minutes
- 10RashfordBuy in 90Minutes
Replaces
- 3Bailly
- 7Kavanee
- 8Math.
- 11Green tree
- 26Henderson.
- 27Counting
- 31Matic
- 34 Van de Beek
- 38 Tuanzebe
Real-time text
- The game ends, Liverpool 0, Manchester United 0.
- End of the second half, Liverpool 0, Manchester United 0.
- Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) has been booked for a foul.
- Curtis Jones (Liverpool) hits a free kick on the right wing.
- Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) is being punished after committing a foul.
- Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) is penalised after committing a foul.
- Manchester United’s Luke Shaw hits a free kick into the middle of the area.
- Corner, Liverpool. Presented by Harry Maguire.
- Substitution, Manchester United. Mason Greenwood replaces Bruno Fernandez.
- Replacement : Liverpool. James Milner replaces Georginio Wijnaldum.
- Thiago (Liverpool) is penalised after committing a foul.
- Scott McTominay (Manchester United) gets a free kick in the opposite half.
- Replacement : Liverpool. Divock Origi replaces Roberto Firmino.
- Offside, Manchester United. Paul Pogba plays a forward pass, but Marcus Rashford is caught offside by the referee.
- Attempt blocked. Manchester United’s Paul Pogba’s header from the centre of the area was blocked. Prepped by Luke Shaw with a cross.
- Corner, Manchester United. Prepared by Alisson.
- Attempting rescue. Paul Pogba (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses with a right footed drive.
- The attempt has failed. Thiago (Liverpool) rattles off a right footed shot from outside the box that goes wide on the right. Sponsored by Giorginio Wijnaldum.
- Sadio Mane (Liverpool) hits a free kick on the left wing.
- Scott McTominay (Manchester United) is penalised after committing a foul.
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