A disappointing result and performance, which cost Liverpool top spot in the Premier League, as the points were shared at Anfield. United, with just two touches in Liverpool’s penalty box in 90 minutes, will certainly see the 0-0 result as a moral victory, while Klopp will be left to rue two points dropped and perhaps his team selection.
Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz, a front three that, for the most part, failed to fire, cut frustrated figures throughout. Darwin in particular, who has still not evolved enough to stay on-side more regularly, remains a work in progress. Diaz too often went down blind alleys, while Salah, though better in the second half, was kept quiet for long periods by a determined and resolute United, who’d clearly come to Anfield to avoid a repeat of last season’s humiliation.
Liverpool’s midfield, though tenacious with Endo crunching into tackles, also failed to find the angles and passing patterns to unsettle the visitors. Dominik Szoboszlai was awful and deservedly withdrawn in the second half, while Ryan Gravenberch left the pitch with a hamstring injury in the latter stages. Trent Alexander-Arnold, one of Liverpool’s better performers, was alone in finding the right pass but, even then, shots were off target or the final pass was poor.
Liverpool got closest to breaking the deadlock when the ‘scouser in the team’, pulled a 20-yard shot just inches wide in the second half. United meanwhile, came up against Alisson one on one through Hojlund and, like so many before, was thwarted by the Brazilian when he really should have put his side in front.
Liverpool were the better team throughout and had much of the ball, but simply failed to be sufficiently productive. They continued to press forward in the final minutes, with their pressure leading to a red card for Dalot, guilty of dissent but in truth, Onana had a relatively quiet afternoon. An early header by Virgil van Djik, that he pushed over the cross bar into the Kop, certainly didn’t endear him to the home crowd.
So United become the first team this season to not only stop Liverpool from scoring at Anfield, but to also leave Anfield with any points. They’ll no doubt relish that particular ‘moral victory’. Liverpool meanwhile, can still top the Premier League at Christmas, but will need to beat Arsenal at Anfield on Saturday to do so. One thing is for certain, if they are to shoot down the Gunners they’ll have to play better than they did today against a poor and unambitious Manchester United.
