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Manchester United forced Liverpool to settle for a goalless draw at Anfield, preventing Jurgen Klopp’s team from climbing to the top of the Premier League.
In a game of few opportunities, the visitors, who saw Diogo Dalot sent off in added time for two quick yellow cards, held firm and moved up to seventh place.
Several players impressed with Diogo Dalot and Raphael Varane frustrating the hosts, while Darwin Núñez and Dominik Szoboszlai fell below their usual levels.
sport mailLEWIS STEELE has rated both groups of players.
This is how it went…
Manchester United forced Liverpool to settle for a goalless draw at Anfield
United, who moved up to seventh place, saw Diogo Dalot (right) sent off at the end of added time.
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Liverpool (4-3-3)
Alisson – 6.5
He barely had anything to do until United’s first shot on target came in the 67th minute, but he held firm to thwart Hojlund from close range. Good handling and distribution from Liverpool’s Brazilian goalkeeper.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7.5
He came closer to scoring than any Liverpool player after 66 minutes when he fired an agonizing shot that went wide of the post. Alexander-Arnold’s main contribution, however, came with a phenomenal tackle in the 55th minute, when he barely stole the ball from Garnacho’s feet.
Ibrahima Konate – 6.5
Some good distribution and generally kept Hojlund and Co quiet. He also did well to cover Alexander-Arnold as the Englishman advanced. It will be a big season for injury-prone Konate with Joel Matip out for the season.
Virgil van Dijk – 6
Very dominant game for the Liverpool captain, who left United little space. The Dutchman intimidated United’s attackers and did not allow Hojlund to get a sniff as Ten Hag’s team looked for balls over the top.
Kostas Tsimikas – 6.5
He made good progress and kept Antony quiet as the Brazilian tried to pass him several times. Tsimikas rarely gives up possession and has allayed any concerns Liverpool had when Andy Robertson dislocated his shoulder.
Wataru Endo – 5.5 (RESERVED)
Careless with the ball at times and struggled to impact the game. He disrupted play well as United looked to counter-attack.
Trent Alexander-Arnold came closer than any Liverpool player to breaking the deadlock
Wataru Endo was careless with the ball at times and struggled to have an impact on the game.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 5.5
He was the shining light for this Liverpool side in the opening weeks of the season, but the Hungary captain has lost spark in recent weeks. Some misplaced passes and sloppy touches early on for Szoboszlai.
Ryan Gravenberch – 6
At times he slipped through United’s midfield and the Dutchman has good pace. However, I struggled to really impact this game.
Mohamed Salah – 7
He looked the most likely to create something for Liverpool, but it wasn’t Salah’s day. He had a couple of looks at goal, but all of his shots on goal seemed to end up in Onana’s grateful hands.
Darwin Núñez – 5 (RESERVED)
Bad tackle on Evans from the beginning and he was reprimanded for talking to the referee. It was a poor outing overall for Núñez, who has only scored one league goal since September. He also lost the ball too easily several times with wayward passes.
Dominik Szoboszlai has lost his spark in recent weeks and has made some misplaced passes
Darwin Núñez had a bad start and has a league goal to his name since September
Luis Diaz – 6
Liverpool’s biggest danger early on faded in the second half. They may have had Liverpool’s best chance, but Onana thwarted it. He hasn’t quite rediscovered the high standards he set in the early weeks of the season.
Substitutes
Cody Gakpo (for Gravenberch 61) – 6
Joe Gomez (by Szoboszlai 61) – 6
Curtis Jones (by Díaz 77)
Harvey Elliott (by Núñez 77)
Manager: Jurgen Klopp – 6
He will be incredibly frustrated that his team was unable to defeat a stubborn United team. Klopp made four attacking changes and altered his system several times, but none of his adjustments really affected the game.
Unused subs: Caoimhin Kelleher, Adrian, James McConnell, Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley
Jurgen Klopp will be incredibly frustrated that his team failed to break down a stubborn United side.
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1)
André Onana – 7.5
A few wayward passes, but it’s hard not to be happy with Onana after many observers had already written him off. A calming presence as he improved his distribution, including one that almost sent Antony free on goal, and he made several important saves to deny the likes of Salah, Konate and Diaz.
Diogo Dalot – 8 (EXPOSED)
It was perhaps a strange decision to give man of the match to a man who was sent off, but the United full-back put in an imperious display to keep Diaz quiet in that side. He made several last-minute interceptions and barely lost possession.
Rafael Varane – 7.5
He made sure Núñez barely had a sniff as Varane started his first Premier League game since September. A disagreement with the coach seems to be behind the Frenchman, who dominated in the aerial aspect and demonstrated his experience.
Diogo Dalot was imperious and kept Luis Díaz quiet with several last-minute interceptions.
Raphael Varane made sure Núñez barely sniffed and was dominating in the air.
Johnny Evans – 7
The passing left a little to be desired, but Evans maintains a strange statistic that he has never been on the losing side in this game. He showed good pace for his age to keep up with Salah on a late counter-attack.
Luke Shaw – 7 (RESERVED)
Salah could have provided the England international, but Shaw ensured a fairly close battle ended. Towards the end he made a poor tackle to stop a counterattack; some might say he demonstrated good experience.
Kobbie Mainoo – 7 (RESERVED)
He should start every United game when fit. Calm on the ball, he always looks to progress the game with forward passes and has good energy in midfield to break up play. If there had been a little more time, one could have fancied him for the England team.
Kobbie Mainoo was calm in possession and should start every game for United when fit.
Sofyan Amrabat – 6.5 (RESERVED)
Another who has been under intense scrutiny since his summer move to Old Trafford, but the Moroccan made a decent midfield shift here.
Antonio – 6.5
United would have won this game if Antony had a little more end product in his locker. The Brazilian got into some dangerous positions but couldn’t find the final pass. However, I committed some fouls to relieve the pressure and gained some tough yards on defense.
Scott McTominay – 6.5
A constant source of energy in United’s midfield as they gave up plenty of possession, but the Scot offered little in the other direction. He had a decent view of the goal towards the end, but shot straight into Alisson’s arms.
Alejandro Garnacho – 6
He offered an exit down the left side, but perhaps his teammates let him down when they struggled to find him. He helped defensively to combat players like Salah and Alexander-Arnold alongside him.
Rasmus Hojlund – 6
There is still no Premier League goal for Hojlund, who only had four touches in the first half. However, the Dane had some good combination play as the match progressed and had a glorious chance in the 67th minute, but he shot straight into Alisson’s chest.
Rasmus Hojlund wasted a golden opportunity after firing his shot straight into Alisson’s chest.
Erik ten Hag will be delighted with the result after the defeat suffered at Anfield last season
Substitutes
Marcus Rashford (for Garnacho 71) – 6 (Warned)
Facundo Pellistri (by Antonio 82)
Hannibal (for Mainoo 82)
Manager: Erik ten Hag – 8
He will be criticized for negative tactics, but Liverpool would have cleaned the field with his team if the Dutchman had not kept the defensive defense. After recent stories of discontent in the dressing room, all United players seemed to accept Ten Hag’s game plan here.
Unused subs: Altay Bayindir, Sergio Reguilon, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Donny van de Beek, Daniel Gore, Willy Kambwala.
Referee: Michael Oliver – 6
Fair play to Oliver for holding off Dalot’s drop in added time, although it did seem a little strange to send him off. Otherwise, I handled the game pretty well.