Manchester United 0-0 Liverpool
Manchester United held Liverpool to a goalless draw at Old Trafford, a result which lifts Jurgen Klopp’s side to the top of the league by a single point.
Liverpool are going for their first Premier League title and Jurgen Klopp was at pains to say this massive game, Premier League Manchester United vs Liverpool, would not be decisive, but failing to beat a United side ravaged by injury has left Manchester City as clear favourites for the title.
The pre-match Manchester United vs Liverpool betting tips all pointed to a close game and the Red Devils fought hard after losing three players to injury in the first half. But Liverpool were toothless.
Highlights of the game
Jurgen Klopp started with an experienced line-up in the knowledge that this was the biggest game of Liverpool’s season. It was always going to be a tough match against their oldest and fiercest rivals, and the vast majority of the 75,000 fans at Old Trafford were in full voice roaring on the Red Devils.
The hosts dominated possession in the first half but there were few shots on target, two for United and one for Liverpool. Mo Salah was looking for his 50th goal for the Reds in the Premier League, after scoring in last week’s 3-0 win over Bournemouth, when Liverpool were back to their attacking best, but he didn’t get a sniff before the break.
Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had a really tough opening 45 minutes, having to make all three substitutions before the half time.
Midfield dynamo Ander Herrera was the first to bite the dust, injured on 22 minutes and replaced by the inexperienced Andreas Pereira. Next to fall was Juan Mata who limped off on 25 minutes to be replaced by Jesse Lingard. Worryingly Marcus Rashford looked to be struggling but he made it through to the break. Substitute Lingard didn’t though, and he was replaced by Alexis Sanchez just before half time as the physio room at Old Trafford started to become a little crowded.
Liverpool had to make a change of their own when Roberto Firmino began to struggle and he was replaced by Daniel Sturridge. There were more first-half substitutions than shots on target but United did have a couple of good efforts just before the break, with Romelu Lukaku forcing a save out of Alisson with a header aimed for the corner.
Rashford looked in some discomfort in the second half but he was in the early action as United looked the more likely to score. Lukaku raided down the right and when his cross fell to Rashford, the youngster’s effort hit the side netting. Jurgen Klopp looked visibly irritated as Liverpool offered little going forward.
The visitors had a chance on 70 minutes when James Milner fired a cross into the near post but Georginio Wijnaldum’s effort was deflected just wide. And it was a measure of Salah’s disappointing afternoon when he was substituted on 79 minutes. The Egyptian hitman had been virtually invisible.
This game will never feature in the Manchester United vs Liverpool highlights packages but it could be a big moment in the 2019 Premier League.
Key Statistics
Liverpool has only won one of its last 13 games in all competitions at Old Trafford and that was five years ago. They didn’t really look like ever winning this one either.
The Red Devils are on the longest current unbeaten run in the Premier League, ten games, and Solskjaer will be delighted by the clean sheet. It’s only the second one in 13 games at Old Trafford this season…amazing!
What’s next?
There’s another great week coming up for SBOBET football fans. For Liverpool, it’s a visit to Watford and then the Mersey derby next weekend at Goodison Park, and that will be as tough as anything as the Toffees try to frustrate their neighbours’ title bid.
And then Klopp’s men are at home to Burnley, who did the top two a favour yesterday by beating Spurs 2-1. I think Liverpool needs to win all three to keep the pressure up at the top.
Manchester United have two winnable games, away to Crystal Palace, though that won’t be easy against Roy Hodgson’s side, 1-4 winners at Leicester City this weekend; and then at home to relegation-threatened Southampton. The Red Devils have dropped to fifth after Arsenal beat Southampton today.
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