Yahoo News Liverpool brush Manchester United aside in breathless contest to go 16 points clear at the top of the table
The moment came at 6.22pm on January 19. It was not when Mohamed Salah sent the ball low into the net to end any doubt that Liverpool would beat Manchester United or when Alisson sprinted from his goal to knee-slide into the celebrations and enjoy his rare assist.
Instead it came a few seconds later when referee Craig Pawson blew the final whistle – Salah’s strike proving to be the last kick of the game – with the Liverpool fans raucously chanting: “We’re going to win the league. We’re going to win the league. And now you are going to believe us, we’re going to win the league.” It was the first time it had been sung.
Of course they are going to win the Premier League. The wait will soon be over, the clock will soon stop, after 30 years, but this was the first time that the Liverpool supporters have allowed themselves to say that publically. The first time they could not contain themselves any more and told the rest of the world what it already knew.
Inevitably and understandably Jurgen Klopp played it down. “Everyone should celebrate the situation apart from us,” the Liverpool manager said. “Nothing has changed, we have the same situation plus three points.” But the basic mathematics reveals it all. Liverpool are 16 points clear at the top, with a game in hand, and can afford to lose six of their final 16 games which is almost unthinkable for a side who have collected their seventh successive clean sheet and are marshalled so dominantly by the peerless Virgil Van Dijk.
Liverpool are also a stunning 30 points ahead of fifth-place United who, remarkably, have lost nine of their last 16 away league games and who are going to have to cope without Marcus Rashford for up to three months after he has suffered a double stress fracture to his back - presumably from carrying the team for so long.
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer clung to the final half hour of this game like a life-raft as he tried to pull positives after his team had previously been utterly dominated. Yes, they created chances and, yes, they hung on in there but before that the gulf between United and Liverpool was as great as that 30-point advantage would suggest. It should not fool anyone that Anthony Martial missed a sitter.
Liverpool appeared to tire but that is no surprise given the intensity with which Klopp demands they go about their jobs. They did not need a statement performance to beat United; they just needed to capitalise on their obvious superiority which they inevitably did by scoring goals at the start and at the end of a fixture which still has the build-up of a heavyweight contest but does not have the balance at present.
It was summed up Van Dijk’s goal which was a collective calamity for United as their zonal marking was undone through a basic corner kick with the defender allowed to run unchecked and unmarked to meet Trent Alexander-Arnold’s delivery and power his header past David De Gea. For some reason Martial gave up following Van Dijk and Brandon Williams – at 5ft six inches – appeared to be the one tasked with stopping the 6ft three-inch centre-half while Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof stayed in their ‘zones’. What was that all about?
It was a question that hung in the air for most of the rest of the first-half and a 10-minute blitz at the start of the second period when Liverpool created chance after chance and had two goals disallowed: one for a VAR intervention when Van Dijk was deemed to have fouled De Gea before Roberto Firmino netted and another for a close offside which denied Georginio Wijnaldum.
Around this was some panicky, unconvincing defending – particularly from Lindelof – while United were always on the edge of being overpowered and overwhelmed with Fred dumped to the turf as Jordan Henderson eased him off the ball and Andreas Pereira perennially wasteful. What was that all about?
United set up with a five-man defence and the intention of trying to hang on in there although there was a first flicker of resistance when Martial picked out Aaron Wan-Bissaka unmarked in the penalty area and his low cross was directed towards Pereira who stretched but could not turn the ball into the net as it brushed past his studs.
Against that there was an onslaught. Before half-time De Gea stuck out his leg to divert Sadio Mane’s shot then, after the break, there were seven attempts at goal in just nine minutes from Liverpool with somehow, Salah failing to score as he scuffed the ball narrowly wide from inside the six yard area while De Gea excelled in tipping Henderson’s powerful drive onto his post.
Incredibly the second goal, which clearly Klopp had demanded, did not come and United managed to force their way back into unlikely contention and should have equalised when Martial exchanged passes with Pereira to find himself through on goal. The forward snatched at it and shot wildly over the bar.
Fred shot wide and Alisson pushed out another effort from the midfielder and suddenly there was a nervousness around Anfield. United pushed on with Solskjaer turning to his substitutes and Liverpool clearing hurriedly before the ball was lofted into the area.
Alisson collected it and had the speed of thought to quickly send a drop kick to Salah who was still inside the Liverpool half but had a clear run at goal. Daniel James sprinted back but Salah proved too strong as he held off the winger and rolled his shot past De Gea to score his first goal in five games against United. That was cause for celebration enough but the Liverpool fans could not stop themselves and who could blame them.
Virgil van Dijk's analysis
This is nice, now we get to hear Jamie Carragher chat to Van Dijk about the game.
On his goal: "For sure, we tried to take advantage of United's weakness at set-pieces. I'm always marked by the strongest opponents, today it was two opponents, it's always difficult, but the delivery was there and luckily I could score."
On the disallowed goal: "The VAR gives it so you have to accept. When it went to VAR I did think it might be given. We had enough other chances to score more."
Is the title race won? "No. Everyone wants us to say something but we cannot and we won't. Something we experienced last year made our mentality like this. We have to just take each game one at a time."
Full time: Liverpool 2 Man Utd 0
What a game that was. Liverpool might have scored seven or eight in all honesty but the fact that United held on at 1-0 for so long made for such an exciting affair.
"We're gonna win the league" is ringing out around Anfield and now, after that win took Liverpool 16 (SIXTEEN) points clear at the top of the table, the fans really do believe it now. And with good reason. There's no catching Liverpool from here.
GOOOOOAAAL!!! Salah makes it 2-0!
2-0 to Liverpool! Alisson grabs the ball and launches it upfield for Salah who is in an instant clean through up the other end. There's no catching him here. Even for speedster Daniel James. Salah holds him off and keeps his composure to slide the ball calmly through De Gea's legs and wrap up the win.
He rips off his shirt and stands in front of the adoring Kop. When he turns round to look for a team-mate, none other than Alisson is there to give him a big hug. Lovely stuff.
90 mins +2 - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
United work the ball well out wide and win a corner. De Gea wants to go forward but Ole says no. Van Dijk YET AGAIN heads it clear. He is amazing.
90 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Three minutes added on. United throwing everything at Liverpool. Maguire is up front.
90 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Liverpool break at speed and Salah plays a through ball... and it's Henderson of all people haring after it! He is eventually hunted down by Dalot but the fitness for him to still be going like that after 90 minutes off this is amazing.
87 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Van Dijk heads Mata's free-kick clear and Salah races after it. He charges down the left wing but is eventually let down by an overhit cross.
86 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Foul by Lallana. Another chance for United to load the box.
Diego Dalot is ready to come on - the cramp-riddled Luke Shaw hobbles off.
Joey Barton isn't impressed:
Cramp in January? ����♂️
— Joey Barton (@Joey7Barton) January 19, 2020
82 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Liverpool stand firm and get the ball clear.
Two Liverpool subs: Divock Origi and the returning Fabinho replace Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
81 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Wan-Bissaka wins a corner. Nine minutes of normal time remain. United need to make the most of chances like this.
77 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
James' poor cross sees a United attack break down after a good ball from Martial.
Greenwood then just fails to get on the end of Martial's cross. A bit of a wobble from the hosts, here.
74 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Matic does really well to win the ball in midfield but then tries to spray a ludicrously difficult pass out to James on the right and the move breaks down.
Two United subs: Mason Greenwood and Juan Mata replace Williams and Pereira.
72 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Shaw is booked for tugging back Salah. An easy decision for Pawson.
69 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
It's Liverpool's turn to defend desperately for a moment, but United can't quite work a shooting opportunity having found a way into the box.
67 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Adam Lallana replaces Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for Liverpool. Martial and Fred have shots from the edge of the box. The former's shot is easily saved, Fred's is better, but Alisson turns it around the post. United waste the corner.
Confirmation of the Rashford news
James Ducker reports:
Marcus Rashford is facing up to three months on the sidelines with a double stress fracture in his back in an enormous blow to Manchester United’s season.
The news is also a huge worry for Gareth Southgate ahead of this summer’s European Championships with one of his other principal strikers, Harry Kane, also facing a long spell on the sidelines.
Rashford is believed to have gone into the the FA Cup third round replay against Wolves on Wednesday with a single stress fracture and that problem was made worse following a collision with Matt Doherty that forced his substitution just 16 minutes after coming on clutching the lower left side of his back.
Read the news in full here.
64 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Another massive chance for Liverpool as Wijnaldum slips a beautiful nutmeg through Maguire's legs and then sets Mane on his way down the left. He stands Lindelof up, steps onto his left and then gets his shot all wrong and it trickles wide.
63 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Martial is coming to life, but just keeps getting let down by his below par team-mates.
60 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
A huge, huge chance goes begging for United as Martial and Pereira exchange a swift one-two on the edge of the Liverpool box and all of a sudden Martial is in. It completely opens up for him but he snatches horribly at the shot blazes high over the bar.
The message from the United bench: CALM DOWN
57 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
A United chance! Fred drives forward, Liverpool's defenders back off and it opens up for the Brazilian - he shoots low and hard but sends it just the wrong side of the post.
54 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Firmino turns Wan-Bissaka inside out and drives an effort at goal but it is blocked. SEVEN Liverpool attempts SINCE HALF TIME. This is just crazy stuff.
Liverpool have shifted up to supernova levels since half time. Must be close to their best football of the season.
— Daniel Zeqiri (@ZeqiriDan) January 19, 2020
52 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
The let up doesn't last long as Liverpool come yet again. Shaw scrambles the ball away for a corner under pressure, before Trent claims a penalty for a handball off Shaw (never a pen) and Oxlade forces De Gea into a sharp low save. How many chances are Liverpool going to make?!
50 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
More problems for United with Lindelof going down. Maybe it's just a ploy to give his team a rest. If it is it's a good idea!
49 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Even closer to a Liverpool second as it opens up for Henderson on the edge of the box and he crashes a rising effort onto the outside of the post.
48 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Soooooo close to a second for Liverpool. Robertson goes through down the left and plays a low ball across the face of goal for Salah. The goal is gaping and all he has to do is pass it into the net, but he gets it all wrong, kicks it onto his standing leg and it trickles past the post.
Moments later Mane fires over from close range. United have to improve.
47 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
An early half chance for Henderson, whose drilled shot is blocked well by Maguire.
The players are back out
Liverpool get the second half started. We're still looking good for my 2-0 prediction.
More bad news for United
Our man James Ducker says Rashford's injury is a double stress fracture. Could be out for two to three months. It's not looking good for United.
Half time: Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
What a half that was. Liverpool are very good value for their lead, and it could so easily have been far more.
Three times they had the ball in the United net, with the VAR disallowing one for a debatable foul on De Gea and the linesman's flag cancelling another. Van Dijk's early header does count, though, and is the difference between the teams.
United grew into the game, though, and given how that half might have gone, probably won't be too unhappy with the scoreline as it is. They could really do with Marcus Rashford.
45 mins + 2 - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Matic gives the ball away taking a risk he shouldn't and all of a sudden Liverpool have another corner - their eighth of the half.
Trent puts it right under De Gea's crossbar, and he does well to punch clear.
45 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
What a save from De Gea to keep United in this. Mane goes clean through and drills a low effort goalwards, only for De Gea to stick out a toe and deflect it over the bar.
Another Liverpool corner... which United deal with well this time.
Two minutes have been added on to a breathless first half.
44 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Pereira shoots from 20 yards and Alisson saves easily. Possibly should have looked for a team-mate there.
41 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
WHAT A CHANCE! United come so close to an equaliser with Wan-Bissaka getting forward to run onto a lovely chipped through ball by Martial behind the Liverpool defence, and he squares across the face of goal... but Pereira JUST can't get anything on it! So, so close!
A better spell for United, this.
40 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Better from United as Pereira drives through the heart of the Liverpool midfield but just can't work the space to get a shot off, eventually halted by his team-mate Daniel James. Martial eventually shoots wide.
A clip of Firmino's disallowed goal
If my description of the earlier chaos wasn't good enough for you, here's a video of the goal that was chalked off for a foul by Van Dijk.
VAR drama! ��
Roberto Firmino thought he had doubled Liverpool's lead, but it's ruled out after a foul on David de Gea in the build-up.
�� Watch on Sky Sports Premier League
�� Follow #LIVMUN here: https://t.co/DZky2Uk3ev
�� Download the @SkySports app! pic.twitter.com/dBvT0VVG3w— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 19, 2020
ANOTHER DISALLOWED GOAL!
Liverpool have the ball in the back of the United net for a third time today after Oxlade fizzes a wonderful through ball in to Wijndaldum, who has gone beyond the front three. He squeezes the ball past De Gea and just inside the far post, but the linesman has his flag raised, and it is the correct decision.
34 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
The temperature is rising at Anfield. Liverpool are suffocating United and have won possession in the final third on a couple of occasions from which they probably should have made more. Some big challenges going in on both sides.
Another masterclass from Big Virg
In half an hour here at Anfield, Virgil van Dijk has been a stopper, scorer, organiser, smooth short passer and precise long-ball hitter. Only VAR's been able to stop him (Liverpool's second goal cancelled).
— Paul Hayward (@_PaulHayward) January 19, 2020
30 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
It's all Liverpool. They are going for the jugular.
Here's what just happened
United cleared the first ball in from the corner, but then Van Dijk challenged De Gea for a high ball back in. De Gea drops it but then doesn't win a free-kick. Liverpool play on and Firmino curls into the far corner. It looks like a good goal.
De Gea is furious and is booked for dissent.
The VAR takes a look at it and swiftly chalks the goal off! Apparently they think Van Dijk has made no attempt to play the ball. That is really, really harsh, particularly given Craig Pawson didn't give the foul in the first place.
GOAL DISALLOWED!
It's all happening!
GOOOAL!!!
A second for Liverpool!
24 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Probably should be a second for Liverpool after Fred deflects Firmino's pass into Mane's path, but Lindelof gets back to clear. Another corner for Liverpool...
Watch Van Dijk's opener
"It's the £70m man against the £80m man and the man who was actually cheapest came out on top."
Virgil van Dijk rises above Harry Maguire to send Anfield wild!
�� Watch on Sky Sports Premier League
�� Follow #LIVMUN here: https://t.co/LuXzQnIaWP
�� Download the @SkySports app! pic.twitter.com/lOtlruGqBQ— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 19, 2020
21 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
There's just so much confidence in this Liverpool team and they are hitting their stride now. United can't string three passes together.
A couple of stats from our friends at Opta
Liverpool have scored in their first 22 league games in a top-flight season for the first time in their history.
No Premier League team has conceded more goals via corners this season than Man Utd's eight.
18 mins - Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0
Almost another one for Van Dijk, who gets across Maguire and is very nearly able to prod home with Maguire all over the place.
GOOOOAL!!!!! Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0 (Van Dijk)
Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0 (Van Dijk)
Of all the ways for United to concede against this Liverpool team, you really would have thought they would have been able to avoid as simple a goal as this. Alexander-Arnold puts in a lovely cross onto the six-yard line, Van Dijk rises highest - a few inches above Maguire - and nods into the top corner to put Liverpool ahead!
13 mins - Liverpool 0 Man Utd 0
United are having to work predictably hard to keep Liverpool at bay so far, but they have been up to the task and Liverpool have been let down by a few too many poor final balls already. As I type Robertson overhits a cross.
He is saved however by Alexander-Arnold who retrieves the ball and wins a corner.
10 mins - Liverpool 0 Man Utd 0
Robertson is very nearly beaten to a through ball by James but the Scot gets back with a sliding tackle really well. Could very easily have got that very wrong indeed.
Lots of energy so far, and a better start than many might have expected United to make.
8 mins - Liverpool 0 Man Utd 0
An early booking for United, as Matic raises his boot and catches Wijnaldum on the nose.
Alexander-Arnold clips the free-kick into the middle and Mane rises well to meet it, but he heads wide.
A few players out there for Gareth to have a look at today
7 mins - Liverpool 0 Man Utd 0
Trent takes the corner short to Robertson, but his cross is poor. United clear.
6 mins - Liverpool 0 Man Utd 0
Things open up momentarily for Liverpool after Salah brings the ball down under pressure from Luke Shaw, but the ball out to Mane on the left is overhit.
He does well to gather the ball and win a corner.
4 mins - Liverpool 0 Man Utd 0
An early opportunity for United to get the ball into the box after Fred is brought down 30 yards from goal and out to the right. Maguire and Lindelof go forward, but Pereira's ball in is awful. Liverpool clear easily.
1 min - Liverpool 0 Man Utd 0
It is indeed a back four for United. Williams' job will be to try and prevent Mo Salah from getting Shaw one on one.
Here we go then
Manchester United, in their changed kit, get us under way.
Here come the players
Anfield is rocking. I can't see past a comfortable Liverpool win. I'm predicting 2-0.
Here's Roy Keane being angry about hats
"The nearer we're getting to kick off, the more worried I'm getting. Watching the players getting warmed up with their silly hats."
Roy Keane says he's concerned at the apparent mindset of the Manchester United players. pic.twitter.com/SoGEhBmy5a— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 19, 2020
A back four for United?
United have been warming up in a back four shape with Brandon Williams ahead of Luke Shaw on the left.
Optimistic home fans
Jurgen's bogey team?
20% - Among the 31 teams Jürgen Klopp has faced 10 or more times during his managerial career, his worst win ratio is against Manchester United (20% - P10 W2 D6 L2). Susceptibility. #LIVMUNpic.twitter.com/Lakpw3PzgS
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 19, 2020
Some thoughts on from United's key men
Solskjaer:
We're playing against a very good team. We've got to maximise the players we've got available - and we've got the players to cause Liverpool problems.
Harry Maguire:
Mentality will play a big part today. We've got to be brave and play on the front foot. We've got to believe in ourselves and have confidence.
Roy Keane, meanwhile, is angry that Luke Shaw is warming up in a "silly hat". Keane really is incredible to have so little self awareness, isn't he?
United's players look pretty calm and collected
after that friendly welcome to Anfield.
More on Rashford
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has just confirmed that Rashford will be out for a matter of weeks.
United's next four games after today are Burnley, Man City (in the cup), Wolves and Chelsea. They can't really afford for Rashford to miss too many of them.
Confirmed: Rashford misses out
Liverpoolare unchanged from the team that won at Tottenham. Fabinho and Matip are on the bench:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Wijnaldum, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Mane, Salah, Firmino.
Subs: Adrian, Matip, Fabinho, Lallana, Jones, Minamino, Origi.
Manchester United are without Marcus Rashford, as Mike McGrath earlier reported. This is how they line up.
De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, Williams; James, Matic, Fred, Pereira; Martial.
That could be a 4-5-1 with Shaw at left-back and Williams just ahead of him, but I'm thinking it's more likely to be a 5-4-1, with Shaw as a third centre-back, Williams at left-back and Pereira and James on the flanks.
The welcoming committee
As this picture shows, it appears a can was thrown at the Manchester United bus as it arrived at Anfield.
Outside the ground...
Recommended pre-match reading
If you have a spare five minutes to get excited about this game, why not give Sam Wallace's column a read? He charts the extensive list of odd decisions Manchester United have made in recent years, and wonders why the club insist on doing things their own unorthodox way when it is so clear to everyone else that they have got it all wrong. Here's a snippet:
On the scale of calamity - the shocking injury backlog, the unbalanced squad - it is noted that the injured Paul Pogba was at Paris fashion week on Friday. Plotting the engagements of Pogba’s social diary – family weddings, charity football matches, commercial tours used as platforms to outline future career plans – against United’s sliding fortunes is, admittedly, an inexact science.
Much simpler to say that Pogba appears to do whatever he wants, which tells you all need to know about the kind of control that United assert over their highest paid employee, and by extension the club itself. Additionally, for those who might have forgotten, United still pay Alexis Sanchez around £175,000 a week not to play for them – or indeed Inter, where he is injured. An astonishing turn of events, made even more remarkable by the fact that his unfortunate situation is not even in United’s top ten of current problems.
It's here again
Yes, it's the match that will never not be an exciting prospect, no matter now far either team were to fall: Liverpool vs Manchester United is the top flight fixture with the greatest history and so, so much feeling between the fans, driven almost entirely by a desire to stop the other.
During Manchester United's near 20-year domination of English football - and the north west - Liverpool were repeatedly able to cause their biggest rivals problems, and the same has been the case in more recent years, when United have fallen away but have still disrupted Liverpool's progress in their meetings.
Take the reverse fixture in October, when United came into the game with only two wins in their last 10 matches, had a ludicrously lengthy list of injury problems and gave Marcos Rojo what remains his only Premier League start of the season, yet still came closer than any other side has before or since come to ending Liverpool's unbeaten run. Marcus Rashford put United ahead, only for Adam Lallana's 85th-minute equaliser to earn Liverpool a point.
That is a common trend: since 2014, Liverpool have won just one of their 11 league games against United.
Even at Anfield, Liverpool have often found the going tough against United. They won last season's fixture 3-1 after two late, deflected goals from Xherdan Shaqiri, but the previous four league meetings have brought two goalless draws (hello Jose Mourinho) and two United wins.
Liverpool are naturally huge favourites to win this game given United's recent struggles and the significant chance that Rashford will miss the game through injury, but Jurgen Klopp won't be taking anything for granted. United won't stop Liverpool's unrelenting march towards their maiden Premier League title, but don't presume this match is a foregone conclusion just yet.
