Mo Salah equals Thierry Henry tally as Man United earn draw at Liverpool in thriller

Premier League classic at Anfield ends 2-2 despite Egyptian notching 175th top-flight goal

Manchester United's Amad Diallo celebrates after scoring his side's second goal in the 2-2 Premier League draw against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, January 5, 2025. AP

Manchester United's Amad Diallo shoots past Liverpool's Andrew Robertson to make it 2-2. AFP

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal against Manchester United at Anfield. Reuters

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scores their second goal from the penalty spot. PA

Manchester United's Matthijs de Ligt handles the ball to concede a penalty. Reuters

Liverpool's Cody Gakpo celebrates his goal with teammates. AFP

Liverpool's Cody Gakpo scores their opening goal to make it 1-1. PA

Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez scores their first goal. EPA

Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's first goal. Getty Images

Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo takes a tumble in the snow. PA

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is held back by Manchester United's Diogo Dalot. AFP

Manchester United's Amad Diallo makes a mess of a header, watched by Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker. EPA

Manchester United keeper Andre Onana saves from Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister. PA

Cody Gakpo of Liverpool shoots wide under pressure from Andre Onana and Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United. Getty Images

Manchester United's Manuel Ugarte fouls Liverpool's Cody Gakpo. Reuters

Mohamed Salah drew level with Thierry Henry in the Premier League's all-time goalscoring charts but his strike was not enough to prevent Manchester United from earning a 2-2 draw in a thriller at Anfield.

The Egyptian put Liverpool 2-1 ahead with his 175th top-flight goal after dispatching a 70th-minute penalty but Amad Diallo scored 10 minutes later to grab a point for the visitors.

Salah, who's Anfield contract runs out this summer, now sits in joint seventh spot in the goalscoring charts as the draw moved Liverpool six points clear of second-placed Arsenal with a game in hand.

Many expected Ruben Amorim's strugglers to be on the wrong end of a hammering at the home of runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool but they took the lead shortly after half-time.

United ended their six-year goal drought at Anfield in spectacular fashion as Lisandro Martinez lashed the ball in off the underside of the bar for just his second goal for the club.

But Cody Gakpo levelled the scores just seven minutes later as he turned inside his Dutch international colleague Matthijs de Ligt and blasted high past Andre Onana for his 10th goal in 15 games on the hour mark.

Liverpool then went ahead in the 70th minute after VAR awarded a penalty after Alexis Mac Allister's header flicked off De Ligt's outstretched arm inside the penalty area.

Salah stepped up to fire the ball low and hard beyond Onana for his 18th Premier League goal in 19 games.

But the visitors, much improved from their dismal 2-0 home defeat against Liverpool thanks to the return of skipper Bruno Fernandes and midfielders Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte, refused to roll over.

They snatched a deserved point with 10 minutes left as Amad turned in substitute Alejandro Garnacho's low cross. They could and perhaps should have taken all three points when defender Harry Maguire scooped over from Joshua Zirkzee's cross in stoppage time with the goal at his mercy.

The draw moved United ahead of West Ham United and into 13th spot in the table on 23 points.

Manchester United captain Fernandes said to Sky Sports after the game: “We have been criticised and fairly. Our position in the table says it all, we have lost too many points. Even today we can't be happy with a point. We need the points and we could've won the game at the end, but it's a fair result. Both teams played good football.

“I'm pretty upset. If we show this level at Liverpool, first in the league, why can't we do this everywhere? It frustrates me. Also, finally I did a proper performance. We said we need much more from ourselves to get more from this season.

“Today we put in a real effort to the game, playing with some passion and heart is what is going to give you something from the game. You have to put in effort and that's why we took something from today.

“It can't stop here, We have to bring this frustration to the next game to understand this has to be the level. If we can do it an Anfield, we have to do it everywhere.”

Manchester United manager Amorim told BBC Match of the Day: “That should be a big issue for our players that even one person thinks you have the ability but not the character, we have to fight that and change that.

“I think it is really clear. When we are focused, when we fight for every ball, when we suffer and we are tired when the game is finished, we are a good team.

“If we don't do that all the time then we are going to lose games. That is clear to everybody.”

Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It could have been a lot worse if we are absolutely honest with ourselves. They had a big chance in the end that could have been a lot worse than where we are now.

“I'm definitely disappointed with dropping points at home but it is what is and we have to move on and we will.”

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said: “We started really well, had three open chances in the game and then there was a period of time which was more difficult for us.

“It is difficult if you play quality players that are playing in a low block with only [Rasmus] Hojlund and [Amad] Diallo as attackers.

“It's not always easy to find the gaps and that's what happened. Then being 1-0 down makes it even more difficult but I was very happy with the mentality we showed afterwards going 2-1 up.”