Liverpool lost the opportunity to open an eight-point advantage at the top of the Premier League classification after being in check 2-2 at home in front of Manchester United.
The e-book of the shape before kick-off highlighted the stark contrast between the two sides. Liverpool had obtained 14 goals in their last 3 games, while United had conceded at least two in their last 4 in all competitions.
However, the visitors arguably overshadowed the first half, in fact in terms of chances. First, Amad Diallo couldn’t adjust his frame to continue at the end of Diogo Dalot’s mocking crossover before Rasmus Hojlund waxed a golden shot at a time before the breakup while shooting straight at Alisson Becker when he cleaned up the cleanup.
Cody Gakpo and Alexis Mac Allister went close for the Merseyside outfit in the opening 45, with Andre Onana making a routine stop from the latter but overall, Ruben Amorim had plenty of reasons to be happy with the performance from his side.
The United manager would have been even happier six minutes after the restart when Lisandro Martinez scored with a hard effort. This is his first target at Anfield since December 2018.
Though, the lead didn’t last long. Gakpo, who appeared to be coming off, cut inside, gave Matthijs De Ligt the slip, before producing a superb finish to equalise for Liverpool.
Salah, who had been kept silent, ended the change as a penalty, attributed after Var intervened and judged that De Ligt manipulated in the region, beat Onana for power. This strike was his 175th Premier League purpose, which put him in Arsenal legend Thierry Henry on the all-time list.
However, there will be a bite of the past in the story.
Amad Diallo, who scored the winner in the Manchester derby last month, equalised for United with a closely-mixed finish from clever play on the wing by substitute Alejandro Garnacho.
Both sides had a chance to win but had to settle for a share of the trouble in this fast-moving clash. The result sees Liverpool remain six transparent problems at the most sensible table, United move up to 13 and, more importantly, can take a huge boost from that performance.
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