Manchester United drew 2-2 against Liverpool at Old Trafford as Jurgen Klopp’s side missed out on valuable two points on Sunday.
The Reds were ahead before the first half as Luis Diaz’s goal marked their extreme dominance with 16 shots compared to United’s zero.
However, the hosts were a different side in the second half. Bruno Fernandes pounced on a loose ball by Jarrel Quansah to shoot from 50 yards out and beat the helpless Caoimhin Kelleher.
Kobbie Mainoo struck a beautiful curler in the top corner in the 67th minute to give United an unlikely lead. However, Mohamed Salah scored from a penalty in the 84th minute after Aaron Wan-Bissaka was found guilty of fouling Harvey Elliott.
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Man United have been notoriously affecting Liverpool’s plans for the past three weeks. They knocked out Klopp’s side from the FA Cup in a thrilling 4-3 contest last month.
Erik ten Hag’s side ensured that they didn’t suffer back-to-back defeats in the Premier League but have dented the Red’s hopes of finishing in the first place of the league table.
As things stand, Arsenal are sitting at the top with similar points but a better goal difference.
How did Man Utd manage to squeeze a draw out of this contest?
Alejandro Garnacho got the earliest chance of the match as he converted a one-on-one chance within the first minute. However, he was deemed offside and the goal didn’t stand.
From then, Liverpool completely dominated the next 45 minutes. They had their first chance when Szoboszlai drew a superb save from Andre Onana. Liverpool had several chances to score their first goal with Salah and Szoboszlai, both missing chances.
United defenders had to work tirelessly down the flank to stop a swamp of attacking movements from the visitors. However, they were loose in their defending and that led to the Reds scoring their first goal.
Darwin Nunez flicked Robertson’s corner into the path of Diaz who scored through a simple finish. Liverpool could have easily extended their lead with Conor Bradley, Nunez and Salah wasting simple chances in the first half.
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But their wastefulness was punished as the Red Devils showed that they are the kings of comebacks yet again. Fernandes scored a superb goal from a misplaced pass, catching Kelleher out of his position from 50 yards out.
The goal changed the momentum of the game as Garnacho and Marcus Rashford drew saves from Kelleher minutes later and United suddenly started to attack even more.
Diogo Dalot fed a perfect cross for Fernandes but the Portuguese failed to connect and missed a glorious chance. Nunez was again guilty of missing another opportunity at the other end.
However, Mainoo turned the game on its head by passing the ball to Garnacho and getting the ball back before curling a superb shot in the far corner. United tried to play defensive in the ending stages of the game.
However, Salah scored a vital penalty after Wan-Bissaka fouled Elliott in the box. Liverpool tried to find the last goal but the hosts held on to grab a point and put a dent in the Reds’ winning momentum in the league.
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What did Ten Hag say after the match (as quoted by Sky Sports):
“There are very mixed emotions. On one side, very disappointed. We gave away a certain win by making a not-very-clever mistake, like on Thursday, like last Saturday. So, we lose seven points in one week, when we should have nine points, which makes a huge difference.”
“In the first half, we did not win the decisive duels. We were hammered, we were bullied. Our young players were sometimes even overwhelmed. But in the second half, they stepped up. And then you saw the improvement, the belief. They were convinced to get a win.”
🤩 Erik ten Hag believes the future is bright for Man Utd after their draw with Liverpool
📺 https://t.co/8holCO1Cbo#mufc | #epl pic.twitter.com/jkYKlFYp8Y
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) April 7, 2024
What’s next for Man Utd?
Man United travel to the Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth in their next Premier League clash on Saturday.
