5 January 2025
Liverpool 2 Man Utd 2
In English football, there is no bigger game in the fixture calendar as Liverpool versus Man Utd. The Reds had grown to dominate this fixture since the era of Alex Ferguson. As Arne Slot’s side welcomed Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils to Anfield, they both came into the match in very different form. On paper this surely looked like it would be an emphatic home victory.
The hosts even welcomed Konate back to the heart of their defence after spending some time out with a knee injury. It was an electric atmosphere for this clash of these two bitter rivals. Man Utd seemed to step their recent game up a few gears for this tricky fixture. In the opening stages it was very even and Liverpool struggled to break down the visitors.
Gravenberch spotted the run of Gakpo and slotted it into his path. With Martinez afraid to make a challenge, the Dutch attacker tried to flick it over Onana with the outside of his right foot. It was always curling away from goal as a result and was a big let off for the visitors. An early goal for the hosts and you felt they may fold like the world’s most conservative poker player.
Salah then picked the ball up out on the right wing near the touchline. He clipped a sublime ball over the visitors’ defence for Mac Allister to run onto. He struck a first-time shot on the half-volley but Onana did well to block with his leg. Slot’s side were finally starting to ask some questions of the Red Devils in the final third of the pitch.
Dalot then left Alexander-Arnold for dead down the left and he lifted a cross in from the byline towards Amad in the box. Somehow, the youngster had managed to get too far ahead of the ball and had to arch his neck backwards to head towards goal. It all went so wrong but the ball broke to Mainoo on the edge of the box, his shot was deflected wide for a corner.
Liverpool had struggled to put the visitors to the sword and Hojlund got in behind them once again. Alisson did well to close down the Dane and block his effort. You could argue that he should have done better but we are used to seeing him spurn chances week in, week out. As a result the sides went in at the interval all square.
Neither side made any changes at the break and as Alexander-Arnold looked to thread a pass forward, it was intercepted by Martinez. He charged towards the Liverpool goal before laying it off to Fernandes. The Portuguese midfielder then played a reverse pass through the back line and sent the Argentinian through on goal.
From a tight angle, with only Alisson to beat, he drilled his shot into the net off the underside of the crossbar. His venomous shot was past the Liverpool keeper before he could even react and the away end erupted. Nobody had predicted this but the Red Devils led at Anfield and had silenced the home faithful, much against the odds.
It was the best part of a decade ago when Man Utd last won at the home of their bitter rivals. Some began to dream of just that. However, Mac Allister threaded a ball in behind the defence for Gakpo. He checked back onto his right foot and curled a superb shot into the far corner with Onana only able to watch it go in.
The Reds grew in confidence and as a cross came in, Mac Allister flicked on and everyone claimed there was a handball from de Ligt. The referee waved away protests but after a VAR review, he was advised to go to the monitor. He changed his decision and awarded a penalty. After seeing the replay, there was no doubt the Dutchman’s arm was not in a natural position.
Salah stepped up to take the penalty and drilled it into the bottom corner. Onana went the right way but the pace on the ball took it past him. In the space of eleven minutes Liverpool had turned this game on its head. You could not hear yourself think in the stadium and felt that the hosts would go on to turn the screw and make the three points safe.
As the freezing rain beat down, it provided the perfect metaphor for the visitors. Slot made some changes to bring some fresh legs on. Nunez was soon booked for a foul on de Ligt, where he clattered intentionally into the defender. This meant that he would be suspended for their next match having amassed five yellow cards.
Then one phase of play unfolded that summed up the day for The Reds. Alexander-Arnold was out of position as the ball was slotted down the wing for Garnacho. As he got to the byline and crossed it, Robertson was left ball watching as Amad ghosted in to tuck it past Alisson for an unlikely equaliser. You could see how much it meant to Amorim’s side.
Both of Liverpool’s full-backs had a poor game at Anfield. So much so that Alexander-Arnold was hooked by the manager in the second-half. For all his abilities at assisting goals, if the right-back does opt to leave when his contract runs out, The Reds could look stronger as a defensive unit. He is currently the weak link at the back.
Slot’s side had been poor in the most important of matches. However, they forced a corner late on. As it was flicked on at the near post, Van Dijk had a huge chance to win the game. Sadly for the Liverpool fans, he headed straight at Onana to let the visitors off the hook. It was proving to be one of those days for The Reds.
Then, with time almost up, Man Utd countered once again. It was worked to Zirkzee in the box who laid it on a plate for an unmarked Maguire in the middle. Only he will know how he blazed his effort over the crossbar when a goal seemed certain. He stood with his head held in his hands, wondering what could have been as the teams had to settle for a share of the points at Anfield.
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