Manchester United effectively mucked up Liverpool’s Anfield plan on Sunday, holding the favored hosts to a scoreless draw in a disjointed, stop-start Premier League scrap.
There were no goals but a late sending-off of Diogo Dalot for quickfire yellow cards had Man United playing the final 90 seconds of stoppage time down a man.
[ MORE: JPW’s player ratings from Liverpool 0-0 Man Utd ]
Liverpool fail to go back atop the Premier League table and see the end of its three-match Premier League winning streak but takes its unbeaten league run to 10 matches.
Jurgen Klopp’s men move onto 38 points, a point off Arsenal and above third-place Aston Villa on goal differential.
WATCH LIVERPOOL v MANCHESTER UNITED FULL MATCH REPLAY STREAM
United succeed in avoiding anything like last season’s 7-0 at Anfield but do not reclaim sixth place. Erik ten Hag’s men have 28 points, one off Newcastle and one ahead of West Ham.
They are six points off the top four, and avoid losing back-to-back games and can look ahead to a tricky but workable next three matches: West Ham away, Villa at home, and Forest away.
Ten Hag’s plan to flummox Anfield works as Varane, Shaw, Onana shine
Liverpool from top-to-bottom is a better team than Manchester United, but the Red Devils were strong in the important places on Sunday when it came to hunting a point against a better side away from home.
Erik ten Hag was forced into using Raphael Varane — what a sentence — and the Frenchman was his Man of the Match, with 15 clearances amongst his 20 defensive actions and a 4-of-4 duel mark. Liverpool could not isolate Jonny Evans, and the Northern Irish veteran was pretty good, too.
Luke Shaw had his hands full with Trent Alexander-Arnold and a red-hot Mohamed Salah, who was effective but kept off the score sheet while taking six shots and creating five chances. What helped more? No mistakes from eight-save Andre Onana. Diogo Dalot (pre- red card) and Sofyan Amrabat — the latter at times looking like a third center back — were quite good, too.
There were also, arguably, some unforced errors from Jurgen Klopp. He couldn’t do anything about Ryan Gravenberch’s injury sub in the 61st minute, but taking off Dominik Szoboszlai at the same time shook up the contest and the Reds then rarely got anything going once Luis Diaz departed in the 78th.
What’s next?
Liverpool host West Ham on Wednesday for a League Cup quarterfinal, then entertains Arsenal at 12:30pm ET Saturday.
Man United will head to West Ham at 7:30am ET Saturday.
Liverpool vs Manchester United player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Liverpool vs Manchester United player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Liverpool vs Manchester United player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Liverpool vs Manchester United final score: 0-0
There were a few bright moments for the visitors early, as Scott McTominay looks good filling in for Bruno Fernandes in a more advanced role as well as captain.
But Liverpool was in control. Trent Alexander-Arnold chipped a cross that Darwin Nunez nearly turned into 1-0, and the Reds looked ready for the Red Devils.
United has done very little going forward (0.12 xG, two shots, 32% of the ball).
Liverpool should be leading after 15 attempts and nine corners. It’s 0-0, and that’s all the Red Devils have going for them without Bruno Fernandes.
The second half featured more of the same, an in-tight Rasmus Hojlund half-chance serving as United’s best bet while Andre Onana was forced into good but comfortable saves on Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate.
How to watch Liverpool vs Manchester United live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 11:30am ET, Sunday (Dec. 17)
TV Channel: NBC
Online: Watch online via NBC.com & Premier League on Peacock
Liverpool vs Manchester United head to head record
This is the 63rd time these two teams have met in the Premier League, with Manchester United leading 29-14-19.
Liverpool lineup
How we line-up to take on Manchester United 📋🔴#LIVMUN
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 17, 2023
Manchester United lineup
🚨 Presenting your United starting XI for today's trip to Anfield 👇#MUFC || #LIVMUN
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 17, 2023
Liverpool focus, team news
Defensively Liverpool have still had some issues but Alisson and Virgil van Dijk have come up big in recent games. So have Liverpool’s subs with Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Joe Gomez and Cody Gakpo in particular having a huge impact off the bench in their win at Palace with Elliott scoring a superb winner in stoppage time. With so many attacking weapons, Klopp has been tweaking the balance of his side and the fact that he can move around Trent Alexander-Arnold to play in midfield (he may start there in this game with Alexis Mac Allister out) and bring so many different types of attackers off the bench means that it is so tough to prepare to play against Liverpool.
OUT: Diogo Jota (undisclosed), Joel Matip (torn ACL - out for season), Andrew Robertson (shoulder), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Thiago Alcantara (groin), Alexis Mac Allister (knee)
After Mohamed Salah hit his milestone, which Liverpool players have scored 200 goals?
There are only four other players in Liverpool’s history who have scored 200 or more goals:
1) Ian Rush, 346 goals (660 games)
2) Roger Hunt, 285 goals (492 games)
3) Gordon Hodgson, 241 goals (377 games)
4) Billy Liddell, 228 goals (534 games)
5) Mohamed Salah, 200 goals (325 games)
Manchester United focus, team news
Where do we go next with this Manchester United side? They were dumped out of a relatively easy Champions League group and the way they exited with a whimper against Bayern Munich shows us how far they’ve fallen. With Bruno Fernandes suspended, plus Maguire out with an injury he picked up against Bayern in midweek, there is an ominous feel about this trip to Anfield for United. It can’t be worse than the 7-0 thumping they suffered there in March, right? Ten Hag’s side are Jekyll and Hyde to the extreme so we can’t rule out a big victory with Scott McTominay scoring a late winner. United now have to focus purely on the Premier League and it is time for some consistency to arrive. Whether or not their injuries clear up, there is enough quality in this United squad to stay in the top four hunt. At the very least. With big changes on the horizon as INEOS finalize their minority ownership of the club, these players are playing for their future at the club and perhaps for the future of Erik ten Hag.
OUT: Casemiro (ankle), Lisandro Martinez (foot), Tyrell Malacia (undisclosed), Jadon Sancho (disciplinary - club), Harry Maguire (groin), Anthony Martial (illness), Bruno Fernandes (suspension) | QUESTIONABLE: Christian Eriksen (knee), Mason Mount (calf), Amad Diallo (knee), Victor Lindelof (undisclosed)