LIVERPOOL 2-2 MANCHESTER UNITED: The fierce rivals played out a slobber knocker on a chilly evening at Anfield as Amad Diallo struck a late equaliser after the hosts had come from behind to lead
LIVERPOOL 2-2 MANCHESTER UNITED: The fierce rivals played out a slobber knocker on a chilly evening at Anfield as Amad Diallo struck a late equaliser after the hosts had come from behind to lead LIVERPOOL 2-2 MANCHESTER UNITED: The fierce rivals played out a slobber knocker on a chilly evening at Anfield as Amad Diallo struck a late equaliser after the hosts had come from behind to lead
They have made so few slip-ups this season that it made this one feel even bigger.
And suddenly it feels like it has all become about Trent Alexander-Arnold and the distraction Liverpool’s title charge did not need. Liverpool have been virtually unstoppable this season but Manchester United found a new resolve and determination to seize on a rare feeling of uncertainty at Anfield.
It felt like after both United goals and each chance Liverpool conceded, the TV cameras panned on Alexander-Arnold because the England full-back had made another mistake. After a week of stories about Real Madrid’s pursuit of Alexander-Arnold, it looked as if the Liverpool defender was already thinking about life at the Bernabeu.
Liverpool have been adamant they will not let Alexander-Arnold go before his contract expires at the end of the season and have already rejected one approach from Real Madrid. But after United’s first goal, one fan shouted at him: “If you don’t want to be here, just f*** off.”
Some players use uncertainty as a motivational force. It looked to be weighing Alexander-Arnold down. Mo Salah is playing out of his skin while chasing a new contract and Virgil van Dijk looked as assured as ever despite his deal also running out this summer.
It still looks unlikely that any of Liverpool’s title challengers will be good enough to catch them but this, for once, gave the others at least a glimmer of hope. United turned up after the first full week of training under Ruben Amorim’s reign and you could see the visitors were much better, well drilled and they thoroughly deserved their point. They could have snatched all three.
Liverpool were below-par in the first half, hauled themselves in front after United took an unlikely lead and yet let victory slip from their grasp. After Lisandro Martinez’s opener, you could actually see Van Dijk looking in utter disgust to his right, wondering how on earth United were given so much space. No prizes for guessing who had gone AWOL.
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It was also no wonder that Arne Slot hooked Alexander-Arnold before the end – replacing him with youngster Conor Bradley – even if he had the excuse of his first-choice right-back being on a booking. Liverpool were just not at their best. They have been embarrassing the rest of the Premier League all season. Every prediction was just about how many Liverpool would put past United.
But it did not play out like that at all. It was a cracker and thankfully they managed to get the game to go ahead after a pitch inspection because of the snow all around Anfield. It made for a heavy, sodden pitch which was perhaps made for United’s warriors as Harry Maguire and Martinez were magnificent.
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United had the better of the first half and took a 52nd-minute lead after Alexander-Arnold’s poor clearance, Bruno Fernandes worked some space and fed it through to Martinez who smashed into the roof of the net. The lead lasted just seven minutes. Alexis Mac Allister, who was superb, fed Cody Gakpo who turned inside Matthijs de Ligt and then fired into the far corner.
Liverpool looked to have turned it round after 70 minutes. Mac Allister’s header struck De Ligt’s raised arm and, after a VAR check, referee Michael Oliver gave a penalty. Salah stepped up and scored his 18th Premier League goal of an incredible season.
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It felt like a familiar script. But United stormed back. Fernandes fed Alejandro Garnacho and his low cross was turned in by winger Amad with ten minutes left. Both teams had chances to win it. None better than Maguire in the 97th minute after great work by United substitute Joshua Zirkzee.
After his brutal substitution last week, what a story that would have been. An offside check might have saved Liverpool but United will still take so much credit and heart from this performance.
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