Manchester United 2-2 Liverpool (Fernandes 50’, Mainoo 67’ | Diaz 23’, Salah 84′ pen)
Mohamed Salah rescued a point for Liverpool at Manchester United as Jurgen Klopp’s side wasted a hatful of chances at Old Trafford to relinquish their grip in this Premier League title race.
Liverpool led 1-0 at half-time through Luis Diaz after recording 15 shots in the opening 45 minutes, while United failed to record a shot in the first half of a Premier League home game for the first time since 2015.
Much like the FA Cup thriller they would go on to win, United were lucky to still be in the match but worked their way back into it after a mistake from Jarrell Quansah gifted Bruno Fernandes the equaliser.
Kobbie Mainoo‘s stunner then put United ahead and on course for a shock win, only for Salah to equalise from the penalty spot before Liverpool then failed to find a winner that would have taken them back top.
Here’s how both teams performed with player ratings out of 10:
Man Utd
Andre Onana: Huge early save to deny Dominik Szoboszlai and kept United in the match after they went a goal down. 7
Diogo Dalot: Arguably one of United’s brighter players. Enjoyed the challenge against Diaz and often came out on top. 7
Willy Kambwala: On just his second start for Manchester United, and first at Old Trafford, Kambwala did well to make amends for a mistake with a block to deny Darwin Nunez. Showed his personality when urging the Stretford End to make some noise, and overall looks some prospect. 7
Harry Maguire: It’s a relief to see Maguire is no longer blamed for United’s wider problems. Amid poor displays around him, he did little wrong. 7
Aaron Wan-Bissaka: Largely second best against Salah and then went in woefully late on Harvey Elliott to concede the penalty. 5
Kobbie Mainoo: Inexperience showed at times and he looked a little lost at the corner for Liverpool’s first goal. Made amends, though, and then some, with a stunner akin to Federico Macheda’s goal against Aston Villa in 2009. Touch, turn, pearler of a curler into the far corner. 7
Absolute CLASS from Kobbie Mainoo
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 7, 2024pic.twitter.com/iIADHPFIYX
Casemiro: Went missing all too often in the first half and though United’s performance picked up in the second, it wasn’t really because of Casemiro. Remains a shadow of the player United thought they were buying. 5
Marcus Rashford: Picked ahead of Antony – who may well have felt aggrieved after his contribution against Chelsea – and looked up for it early on, particularly off the ball and out of possession. On the ball, there was less to shout about (no surprise given United were largely second best), and he hobbled off midway through the second half. 5
Bruno Fernandes: A very poor first half with too many misplaced passes, but then in the right place to capitalise on Quansah’s mistake and change the mood inside Old Trafford. 6
Alejandro Garnacho: After an early goal was chalked off for offside, struggled to make an imprint on the game. Slowly improved but nothing noteworthy given United were mainly the benefactors of a wasteful Liverpool side. 5
Rasmus Hojlund: Anonymous in a first half where United had zero shots and did little thereafter – the drought 2.0 continues. 4
Substitutes:
Antony: 6
Sofyan Amrabat: 6
Mason Mount: n/a
Liverpool
Caoimhin Kelleher: A passenger until he picked the ball out of his own net – twice. A few nervy saves in the second half followed. 6
Andrew Robertson: Seemingly had the left wing all too himself in the first half, and may well look back and curse his lack of accuracy with some crosses. 6
Virgil van Dijk: Typically brought a level of calm to Liverpool’s defence after a frantic early start, and could do little but watch as Quansah’s short pass found Fernandes instead. Not to blame for two points dropped. 6
Jarrell Quansah: Gifted United the equaliser, which completely changed the tone of the match – although his forwards should have put the game to bed way before. 5
Conor Bradley: An early caution was far from ideal and had the 20-year-old unable to go full throttle thereafter. No surprise to see he was subbed off 20 minutes into the second half as Liverpool chased the three points. 5
Wataru Endo: Was seemingly anchoring Liverpool’s midfield supremely before the chaos went against them. 6
Alexis Mac Allister: Started to control the game just before Liverpool’s first goal. Was their best player and can only wonder how his side have not won the game. 7
Dominik Szoboszlai: A hat-trick of chances inside 20 minutes went begging – the first well saved by Onana – but continued to run the show along with Mac Allister in the first half. Came off after 65 minutes as Jurgen Klopp searched for a winner, and left to rue missed opportunities. 6
Luis Diaz: Showed great athleticism for the opener with the ball coming at him quickly, but could not put away later chances. A so-so display that makes for an average one. 6
Darwin Nunez: Guilty of being wasteful early on but crucially lost Mainoo at the corner to assist Diaz. Then made an awful decision in the second half when torn between a shot and a cut-back, essentially doing neither, and never really made amends, lacking that clinical touch when it mattered. 4
Mohamed Salah: Lacked composure when Liverpool looked to stretch their lead in the first half. Frustrated thereafter but has Wan-Bissaka to thank for the chance to level from the spot. 6
Substitutes:
Curtis Jones: 6
Joe Gomez: 6
Cody Gakpo: 6
Harvey Elliott: 6
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