Advantage Manchester United, perhaps. This was not the statement result to propel them into the position of title favourites, but they retained their three-point lead over Liverpool. They denied their rivals the momentum victory would have given them.
Liverpool remain unbeaten at home and United undefeated away but the latter can derive more satisfaction from the fact. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team ensured David de Gea rarely needed to excel to keep a clean sheet and United allied their resistance with some of the brighter moments of a relatively dull game.
Liverpool’s Premier League goal drought has now spanned 348 minutes. They lacked incision and the capacity to overpower teams that Anfield used to give them. This was not Jurgen Klopp’s team at their exhilarating best and it was tempting to hark back to last January, when a raucous crowd willed them to victory in the same fixture.
It remains United’s last away league defeat and their regret may be that, despite creating the game’s best chances, they could not find a breakthrough. Alisson Becker produced the two finest saves, denying Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba in the second half, and perhaps had United showed more ambition earlier, they would have inflicted Liverpool’s first home league defeat since 2017.
Solskjaer sprang a surprise by using Anthony Martial on the left, Pogba on the right – perhaps only his fourth-best position – and Marcus Rashford as a striker but the Mancunian, who was lavished with praise by Jordan Henderson in the programme, was limited to seven first-half touches by Liverpool’s centre-back partnership of two midfielders. Henderson brought solidity while Fabinho underlined that, for a makeshift central defender, he is a very fine one, halting Martial when the Frenchman was in full flight and sliding in to block Fernandes’ shot.
United only had one-third of possession, and less still at the start. Initially marginalised, the catalytic Fernandes almost proved decisive. While Liverpool had attempted eight shots before United mustered their first, it was agonisingly close as Fernandes whipped a free kick inches wide. But when United assumed the initiative, the Portuguese latched on to Luke Shaw’s low cross with a first-time shot that Alisson did well to repel. The Brazilian made an equally good block from Pogba but United now only have one goal in six visits to Anfield and even the introduction of Edinson Cavani did not change that.
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Liverpool v Manchester United player ratings
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LIVERPOOL PLAYER RATINGS: Alisson Becker - 8. The Brazilian made a great save from Fernandes with his foot and a fantastic stop from Pogba in the last 10 minutes to preserve the point. Reuters -
Trent Alexander-Arnold - 5. The 22-year-old was uncertain at the back and inconsistent with his crosses. Part of Liverpool’s attacking problem is that the right back has hit a dip in form. Reuters -
Fabinho - 8. Another composed performance by the Brazilian. He produced a brilliant sliding block to stop a Fernandes opportunity and snuffed out a Rashford counter-attack late on. Reuters -
Jordan Henderson - 7. The captain was not tested in this unfamiliar position of centre half. He was strong in the air and used the ball well but playing him at the back is not the solution for Liverpool's defensive problems. Reuters -
Andrew Robertson - 6. The Scot got into good positions but his touch was off and too many of his passes found a United shirt rather than a teammate. Defended well against Rashford. EPA -
Thiago Alcantara - 6. The 29-year-old's passing is seductive but he needs to hurt the opposition more. He is still adjusting to the pace of the English game. Forced a save from De Gea in the closing stages with a shot from the edge of the box. Reuters -
Georginio Wijnaldum - 5. The Dutchman worked manfully in a restructured midfield. He impressed during his side’s spell on top in the first-half but tired late. Replaced by Milner with a minute to go. EPA -
Xherdan Shaqiri - 6. Faded after a bright start when he buzzed around the United box generating chances. The Swiss was taken off for Jones with 14 minutes left. Reuters -
Sadio Mane - 6. As so often recently, the Senegalese was the most dynamic of Liverpool’s attackers. The inability to convert that threat into goals against packed defences is becoming a worry, though. EPA -
Mohamed Salah - 5. A frustrating effort for the Egyptian. He switched flanks in an attempt to exert more influence but had little impact on either side of the pitch. Reuters -
Roberto Firmino - 4. A lacklustre display. The front three have been sputtering largely because the Brazilian has struggled for consistency and has been unable to create space and opportunities for his colleagues. Wasted one good chance. AFP -
SUBS: Curtis Jones - 5. Replaced Shaqiri in the 75th minute and tried to spark the attack. Brought plenty of energy but not much danger. EPA -
Divock Origi - 5. Given the last five minutes when Firmino was substituted. The Belgian was eager and managed to force a corner but never looked like breaking the deadlock (no match photo available). Reuters -
James Milner - 5. Brought on for Wijnaldum in the 89th minute and was solid enough. A cautious substitution from Jurgen Klopp as time ran out (no match photo available). Reuters -
MANCHESTER UNITED PLAYER RATINGS: David De Gea - 7. Little to do despite strong Liverpool pressure in the first 30 minutes as they flew at United having had no games since United played their last two. Reuters -
Aaron Wan Bissaka – 7. Nervous watching him against Mane but handled him well in a dogged opening half hour. Like his team, he brightened up in the second half. Set up Pogba seven minutes from time. Survived the Liverpool threat for consecutive clean sheets in away games. EPA -
Victor Lindelof – 7. Selection a slight surprise given his injuries and Eric Bailly’s form. Steady and his defence kept a clean sheet – in no part down to superb late defending snuffing Liverpool out. Justified his selection. AFP -
Harry Maguire – 7. Under pressure and blocked a Firmino shot but shaky giving ball away. Good game against three of the best forwards in the world. Reuters -
Luke Shaw – 8. Involved in first half counters down the left. Solid, though lost ball which led to Salah run on goal. Attacked and assisted and full of energy for 90 minutes. More touches than any other United player. Man of the match. AFP -
Paul Pogba – 7. Unusually, started playing off the right and immediately involved in attack and cutting out Liverpool attacks, but gave ball away – partly because he tries the spectacular and it doesn’t always come off. His shot after 83rd minute was one of the best two chances in the game and superbly saved by Allison. He set himself up with a fine first touch but volleyed at goalkeeper. EPA -
Scott McTominay - 7. Robust early challenge on Thiago that Bryan Robson or Norman Whiteside would’ve been proud of. Improved as game went on and strong on clearances and will be satisfied with the result against a side who’d won 36 of their previous 38 home league games. Reuters -
Fred - 7. Outsmarted by Thiago early and wasteful in possession but always busy and pressing against the champions. Passed ball nicely forward in a second half move and sensed dangers well. Reuters -
Bruno Fernandes - 5. Transformed United since signing a year ago but poor in this huge game. Lost his man and limited impact. United’s best first half effort with a free kick but very poor and United’s first shot on target after 64. Side-footed a chance after a fast United attacked but well saved by Allison. EPA -
Anthony Martial - 6. Played on left which constrained him, even though he looked dangerous when he has the ball. Played an hour. Needs to get to the levels he was at last season for him to be an asset who could help United win the league. AFP -
Marcus Rashford - 6. Playing centre forward. Lots of running but offside four times in a first half where United didn’t have a single shot on target. His runs excite but led to little and his manager pointed them out as an area his players could’ve improved. There was one run where Cavani was to his left in space. Booked. EPA -
SUBS: Edinson Cavani - 6. On for Martial 60. Worked hard, smart touches in a better second half for United. Liverpool’s 68-game unbeaten home run stays intact, as does United’s unbeaten away run stretching nearly a year. AFP -
Mason Greenwood - N/A On for Fernandes after 89. The Portuguese didn’t kook happy about it, but he could have no complaints after his performance. Reuters
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But Liverpool had a greater imperative to win. They were nine points ahead of United in November and could not cancel out a deficit. Not for the first time of late, they lacked sharpness.
This marked the belated home debut of Thiago Alcantara. The summer signing dictated much of the game but without finding the defence-splitting pass that would have added an extra dimension. Instead, he unleashed a long-range thunderbolt that De Gea parried.
Liverpool had the majority of shots and yet few of their chances were clear-cut. Solskjaer had preferred Victor Lindelof to Eric Bailly in his defence and that choice was justified by their dependability. There was an early impasse until Roberto Firmino skewed a shot wide as Liverpool applied pressure without bombarding the United goal. Firmino’s finishing was undistinguished and the one effort he managed on target was tame. Harry Maguire did enough to put him off when Andy Robertson delivered an inviting cross.
Xherdan Shaqiri scored twice in this fixture two years ago, finishing off Jose Mourinho as United manager, but could not quite stage a sequel, despite two long-range efforts. Mohamed Salah volleyed over and had another shot deflected wide. Sadio Mane was quiet and, once again, Liverpool could lament the absence of the injured Diogo Jota as well as the loss of more points.
