Protests saw this match delayed the first time round, however, despite more protests, it was able to go ahead this time. Liverpool hadn’t beaten Manchester United at Old Trafford since 2014, but most of those matches have seen United trying to put a dampener on Liverpool’s attacking. With Liverpool struggling this season and United having nothing left to play for, the chances of the home side opening up as they did in the FA Cup improved.
Jürgen Klopp made just one change to the team that beat Southampton, bringing Roberto Firmino back into the attack in place of Sadio Mané, with Diogo Jota moving left. They set up in their usual 4-3-3 formation.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made mass changes to the side that lost to Leicester City just two days ago, returning to a strong line-up after putting out a weakened team. United set up in their usual 4-2-3-1 shape.
Liverpool continued with the pressing scheme they have adopted this season, despite it never working and only worsening their already existing problems with being too narrow when defending. Rather than pressing high, Firmino sits off to block the pass into midfield, requiring the wingers to come inside more to press the centre-backs. This narrow position leaves the opposition full-backs in acres of space on the flanks.
United repeatedly caught Liverpool out like this on both flanks. Paul Pogba would often tuck inside into the middle, leaving Trent Alexander-Arnold unsure of whether or not to follow him inside – does he track Pogba and allow Luke Shaw to overlap and cross, or track Shaw, leaving Pogba free in the centre? Marcus Rashford and Aaron Wan-Bissaka did the same on the right, doubling up on Andy Robertson. This can be seen on the opening goal, where Rashford passes in behind for the underlapping Wan-Bissaka to pull back for Bruno Fernandes.
The pace of their attacks really waned as the half went on though, allowing Liverpool to easily get back and offer support to Alexander-Arnold and Robertson.
United’s pressing worked much better, although this was largely thanks to their intensity rather than their set-up. Fred was often pulled forward onto Thiago Alcântara dropping in next to Fabinho and Shaw and Wan-Bissaka were often dragged forward far into Liverpool’s half to pick up Alexander-Arnold and Robertson, leaving the defence exposed if Liverpool could play out. By giving Liverpool so little time on the ball though, United were largely able to stop them from breaking forward, especially since Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams lack the quality of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.
When Liverpool were able to play out, they were having success on the flanks too though. Jota would tuck in to join Firmino between the lines, giving Robertson space high and wide on the left. Rashford was unwilling to follow him too deep, meaning Wan-Bissaka was left dealing with two men like Liverpool’s full-backs and United struggled to find the right passes towards Rashford to punish Robertson’s forays forward.
On the right, Liverpool were looking even better. Thiago would drop in next to Fabinho and Pogba would often step up to meet him, leaving Alexander-Arnold free. If Shaw stepped up then Mohamed Salah would make a run in behind the full-back, but most of the time Alexander-Arnold was simply left alone on the right. The Scouser took full advantage, immediately finding his range for crosses and neat passes.
Liverpool equalised with ten minutes of the half remaining from a corner. United headed away the initial ball but Salah fired a shot back in and several of their players were left ball-watching as Phillips dribbled away in the box to set up Jota. It was a fine display of just how soft United’s defenders can still be.
They then took the lead just before the break. With a Liverpool counter-attack already under control, Pogba kicked out at Jota in the final third, then Firmino ran in behind the Frenchman at the back post to head in the resulting free-kick. Soft again, but also stupid this time too.
Immediately after half-time, Liverpool added a third. They were pressuring United high up the pitch with greater intensity, making it harder for United to play out from the back. For the goal, they first forced a mistake by Fred, and, while United were able to repel the initial attack, Jota robbed Shaw on the edge of the area to set up Alexander-Arnold, whose shot was spilled at the feet of Firmino by Dean Henderson.
With Liverpool both having the lead and pinning United back in their own half, Solskjaer needed to switch things up. He took off Fred and replaced him with Mason Greenwood, with Pogba moving back to the base of the midfield next to Scott McTominay. Much better under pressure than Fred, Pogba allowed United to play out from the back again.
United managed to pull one back when Pogba found Shaw on the left, who had the space to pick out a pass into the forwards. Due to Fabinho getting pulled forward to chase down Pogba, Fernandes was left in space between the lines, meaning Phillips stepped out to meet him, only for the Portuguese to dummy the ball, letting it run through to Rashford. United now had three forwards running at three Liverpool defenders, and Edinson Cavani slipped a pass in behind Williams for Rashford to finish.
With Liverpool starting to drop off, United now found it easy to play out and once again started to push forward into attack. Liverpool held out though and Salah sealed their win on the counter in the ninetieth minute. Nemanja Matic, a substitute for Eric Bailly at centre-back, was United’s last man and panicked at the sight of Salah pressuring him, causing him to push forward into a pocket of Liverpool midfielders. They reclaimed the ball and Curtis Jones knocked it in behind for Salah to run onto, no one getting anywhere near him as he calmly slotted the ball past Henderson.
Liverpool looked sharp from an attacking perspective but were still lacking defensively. Currently all that matters is the three points though. With Leicester and Chelsea still having to play one another, and the latter having a Champions League final to prepare for, Champions League qualification – which was looking like a pipe dream just weeks ago – suddenly appears to be a real possibility for the Reds.
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