Over in Manchester, United and Liverpool saw their match end in a 2-2 draw this Sunday, April 7th, at Old Trafford. This was a part of the fixtures for matchday 31 in the 2023/24 Premier League season. With this draw, the Reds also hold onto 71 points, sharing the lead in the English football league standings with Arsenal, who also boasts 71 points following their victory over Brighton with a solid 3-0 win.
Manchester United's journey this season tells a different tale, marked by a series of ups and downs that currently places them in the sixth spot on the table with 49 points. This positioning leaves them just outside the qualifying spots for European competitions. Earlier in the week, they faced a tough match against Chelsea, managing to turn a 0-2 deficit into a 3-2 lead, only to be defeated in the final moments, resulting in a 4-2 loss.
It was back in March when the Red Devils dashed Liverpool's hopes of securing a historic quadruple by beating them 4-3 in extra time during the FA Cup quarterfinals. With goals from Scott McTominay, Antony, Marcus Rashford, and Amad Diallo, the home team staged an incredible comeback, effectively knocking Jürgen Klopp's side out of the competition.
Before this, the Merseyside squad had clinched the Carabao Cup title in February by defeating Chelsea, seeming to have the upper hand in the game at two different points. Nonetheless, United managed to even the score towards the end of regular time, pushing the game into extra time where they ultimately clinched their victory.
When it came to their most recent clash in the Premier League, the teams faced off at Anfield in December 2023, ending the match in a 0-0 draw.
Manchester United's lineup for the game featured André Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire, Kambwala, Diogo Dalot, Casemiro, Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, and Holjund. Klopp’s team lined up with Kelleher, Endo, Virgil Van Dijk, Luis Díaz, Szoboszlai, Darwin Núñez, Alexis Mac Allister, Mohamed Salah, Andrew Robertson, Quansah, and Bradley.
The match started with intense midfield battles for possession. Both teams had vulnerabilities in counterattacks and on the wings, though Díaz had yet to make a significant impact. Gradually, Liverpool began to dominate possession, searching for that precise final pass to break through United's defense led by André Onana.
Luis Díaz starring in the Reds' attack
In the 20th minute, following a corner kick from the left side by Andrew Robertson, Darwin Núñez lightly touched the ball, setting up Luis Díaz who scored with a superb volley, giving Klopp's team a 1-0 lead at Old Trafford.
After the goal, Liverpool managed to maintain their lead despite a brief push from United. The match's dynamics started to balance out, with both teams finding space. With this goal, Luis Díaz added another two goals to his tally against the Red Devils. The Merseyside team concluded the first 45 minutes ahead, thanks to the goal from the Colombian Luis Díaz.
Different image of United
The second half kicked off with high energy. Bruno Fernandes seized a poor clearance from Quansah, scoring from nearly halfway down the field after spotting the opposing goalkeeper off his line. The scoreboard at Old Trafford now read Manchester United 1, Liverpool 1.
Klopp’s team felt the blow from this equalizer, yet Darwin Núñez and Mohamed Salah both had clear chances to retake the lead for Liverpool, but failed to capitalize.
In the 65th minute, when they needed it most, Marcus Rashford had to leave the game due to an injury, with Antony coming on as his replacement. Just two minutes later, United launched another attack which paid off. Garnacho passed to Wan-Bissaka on the right, who then set up Kobbie Mainoo. Mainoo unleashed a curling shot that found its way into the left corner of Liverpool's net, putting the Red Devils ahead 2-1.
Liverpool increased their pressure in search of an equalizer. After the surprising goal from United, the visitors pushed forward, aiming to at least salvage a point from the match.
Penaltie, equalizer, and missed opportunities
With 10 minutes left, Wan-Bissaka's late challenge on Harvey Elliot in the box led to a penalty for the visitors. Tensions were sky-high as Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah stepped up to take the penalty, awarded by Anthony Taylor. He sent the ball to the left, tying the game once more.
Seven minutes of added time were announced, and in the final moments, Luis Díaz had a golden opportunity in the 93rd minute, but his effort was ruled out for a foul on Antony. The score remained unchanged, leaving Klopp's team dropping crucial points in the title race at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, Arsenal continues to lead due to their goal difference: +51 for Arsenal compared to +42 for Liverpool.