Defiant Manchester United keep Liverpool at arm’s length in stalemate

Manchester United returned to the scene of the crime and removed all evidence of the spinelessness and unprofessionalism that besmirched their last appearance at Anfield. Erik ten Hag’s team were defiant, disciplined and unified, everything they were not in the 7-0 rout in fact, in taking a point against Liverpool. United made a point, too: the dressing room still plays for its manager.

There was intensity and constant pressure from the home side, forcing United into desperate defensive actions from the first whistle, but too many wayward final balls enabled the visitors to ride the storm in the first half. André Onana escaped when dropping a Ryan Gravenberch header under pressure to Mohamed Salah, and reacting to turn his scrambled shot wide, but was only seriously tested by Virgil van Dijk’s header from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner. The United keeper tipped over from close range. Onana’s biggest contribution was to the palpitations among the away fans whenever playing out with his feet.

The lack of composure in Liverpool’s first-half performance was encapsulated by the first booking of the contest for Darwin Núñez. The Uruguay international raised an arm into the chest of Jonny Evans when pursuing a long ball out of defence and was booked for kicking the ball away after the blatant free-kick was awarded. He then sarcastically applauded the assistant referee. The foul on Evans was more deserving of a yellow card than the offence for which Núñez was cautioned. Dalot’s dismissal for two bookable offences in the same incident, when he rightly argued for a United throw-in, was harsh in comparison.

Antony was again infuriatingly wasteful, quicker to blame others for his mistakes than to spot the right pass. The largely anonymous Alejandro Garnacho was played through by a delightful ball from Kobbie Mainoo but unable to hold off Alexander-Arnold as he entered the penalty area. The Liverpool vice-captain intervened with a vital touch. Antony was involved in a flowing United move that ended with Scott McTominay, captain in the absence of Fernandes, releasing Højlund behind Van Dijk. The chance to open his United league account when and where it really mattered presented itself to Højlund but Alisson blocked well with his chest and gathered the follow-up.

Klopp’s team continued to pose the greater threat, however. Alexander-Arnold placed a shot inches wide from 25 yards with Onana stranded. The Cameroon international produced an assured second‑half performance, saving confidently from Salah, Ibrahima Konate and Nunez. United also survived a VAR review for handball against Shaw after Kostas Tsimikas’s cross bounced up on to the defender’s arm off his thigh. Dalot made a superb intervention to prevent Luis Díaz sweeping home from close range and, despite losing his cool to reduce United to 10 men, there was no fresh torment for Ten Hag at Anfield. United must build on this foundation.