Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool
Monday night Premier League football came to Old Trafford this week and it was a night which few Manchester United fans will forget for a while.
Last season was a nightmare for the Red Devils as they suffered a 9-0 aggregate walloping at the hands of the Merseysiders. But tonight it was a different story as Jadon Sancho gave Manchester United a half time lead with a sublime finish. The Red Devils could have been further ahead at the break, but they did double their lead when Marcus Rashford slotted home early in the second half.
Mo Salah scored an 82nd minute goal to make it a nervy last ten minutes but United hung on, and Erik Ten Hag has just become a hero in the Red half of Manchester, for masterminding a rare win over Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
Highlights of the game
United’s midfield had been overrun in their opening two games, and when here at SBOTOP we took a look at this game, it seemed to us like Liverpool could make hay in the middle of the park. But it didn’t work out that way in the first half as the Red Devils dominated and looked a completely different team from the one humiliated by Brentford last week. They were in the faces of their big rivals, the home crowd responded and Liverpool were taken aback. And the Red Devils were almost ahead on ten minutes when Bruno Fernandes crossed and Anthony Elanga hit a first time shot but it crashed back off the post.
But six minutes later the roof came of Old Trafford as United, against all the odds, went ahead.
Marcus Rashford made progress down the flank and squared the ball to Sancho and he brilliantly wrong footed James Milner and Alisson, before side footing the ball into the net.
United were all over Liverpool and Christian Eriksen tested Alisson with a long range effort which the Brazilian stopper did well to tip over the crossbar.
Last week’s dismissal of summer signing Darwin Nunez meant a start for Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino but neither he nor Mo Salah had much of a sniff in the first half; and it was James Milner who came closest to levelling when his header was cleared off the line by Lisandro Martinez.
Liverpool started the second half better but before they could make inroads they were 2-0 down. The visitors were ponderous at the back and Anthony Martial picked up the ball and fed Rashford who fired home. VAR took a look but Rashford was marginally onside and Old Trafford celebrated again.
Liverpool tried to respond and Luis Diaz, Harvey Elliot and Firmino all had chances but failed to beat David de Gea. But United looked the more likely to score and Rashford shimmied past three weak tackles before blasting his shot narrowly over the bar.
Then, just as United looked to be coasting to a win, Liverpool were back in it. Fabio Carvalho shot, De Gea parried and Salah headed home the rebound to make it 2-1.
Liverpool threw everything at United but the hosts hung on to move ahead of their visitors in the league table.
Key statistics
Sancho’s opener was the ninth time Liverpool had conceded first in their last ten competitive matches.
Rashford’s strike ended a run of 997 minutes without a goal for the England striker; he last scored against West Ham United in January.
Salah’s goal made him the first player in Liverpool’s history to reach double figures against Manchester United.
This was only the second time Manchester United have beaten Liverpool in their past 13 Premier League meetings. And it was Liverpool’s first defeat in the Premier League in 2022.
What’s next?
Arsenal, who have a maximum nine points after a thumping 3-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday, are top of the league with a chasing pack on seven points and led by Manchester City and Leeds United. The Premier League 2022 betting odds are still right behind City, despite the Sky Blues settling for a draw against Newcastle United on Sunday.
Neither Liverpool nor Manchester United’s first two Premier League 2022 results were satisfactory; but the Red Devils have banished the memory of two bad defeats while Liverpool’s season hasn’t got started yet, and this was certainly a night to forget for Klopp’s men.
The Red Devils are back in action to open the next round of fixtures with a tricky visit to Southampton, who put in an impressive performance to beat Leicester City last time out. Meanwhile, Liverpool are back at Anfield where they will entertain Bournemouth, most neutrals’ favourites for relegation. The Cherries come into the game with back to back defeats, to Arsenal and Manchester City, but they did get off the mark on the opening day of the season with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa.
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