Liverpool Held in Anfield Thriller | Liverpool vs Man Utd 2024/25

It is one of English football's great rivalries. Two clubs with trophy cabinets that are packed full to the brim. It is the 216th meeting of Liverpool and Manchester United. A fixture deeply sewed in to the rich tapestry of English football. And not even a dump of snow overnight was going to knock this game off its pedestal today. Let's have a look at how these sides line up today. Arne Slott makes just one enforced change from Liverpool's high-scoring win at West Ham last Sunday. Alisson plays in goal behind a defence that sees the return of Ibrahima Kanate. It's the Frenchman's first appearance since November. He comes straight back into the team in place of the injured Joe Gomez. In midfield, Alexis McAllister has scored against Manchester United in each of the last two seasons. Ryan Gravenberg continues his run of starting every Premier League game this campaign. Mo Salah loves playing against today's opposition, the Egyptian in the form of his life. Cody Gakko scored twice in that famous 7-0 game two seasons ago. Up top, Luis Diaz scored twice the last time these sides met at Old Trafford in September. Amongst the Liverpool substitutes, there's no Dominic Sapozlai today. He is ill, but Conor Bradley is named. Like Kanate, he's only recently returned to training after injury. Ruben Amorim was very disappointed with how his midfield played against Newcastle last time out. He makes three changes in that area today. Andre Onana hasn't missed a Premier League game since joining Manchester United. It is the same back three of De Ligt and Martinez. On the other side of Harry Maguire today, who's the only Manchester United player involved here who has scored at Anfield in the past. All change in the centre of midfield. Manuel Ugarte is back from suspension. Kobi Bennett came on as an early replacement against Newcastle on Monday. He starts today. Bruno Fernandes also back from a suspension. He returns as captain. And at the spearhead of the attack, Rasmus Hornand will feel he's due a goal. The Dane has only scored once in his last 12 away games in the Premier League. There's no Marcus Rashford today. Not even on the bench. He is ill. It's the first game of 2025 for both these teams. Liverpool hoping that they pick up exactly where they left off in 2024. Manchester United absolutely hoping for a reset and a rebirth in 2025. Arnaz Lloris come in. He has taken Liverpool to a different level. But with improved performances, of course, comes raised expectations. And Liverpool fans will not want any easing of the throttle today. Manchester United arriving under extreme duress. They have lost their last four games in all competitions. To Robertson. The canister falls off of that. Jones. It's a lovely ball. Diaz. To Kravenberg. To Cody. Gakpo. So close. Liverpool are warming up. Yeah. I mean, that's the kind of football, when it's that quick, it's very difficult to defend against. And Manchester United were just caught really ball watching at one stage then. And in the end, I mean, it's Gakpo refusing to hit it with his weaker left and just trying to depend on that stronger right. Goals in each of his last two games for Cody Gakpo. Scored against Leicester and West Ham. Martinez is strong against Salah. And Kobe Mane puts it straight out of play. Alexander-Arnold accurately picking out Curtis Jones. Mazraoui with the interception, but this is Robertson. Karate for Salah. McAllister's made a great run. That's a big save. Andre Onana denies Alexis McAllister. Well, it is a great save from Onana, but you have to also praise the timing of McAllister to actually just get this perfectly, once it dropped out of the air. He couldn't have caught it any better. And he knew that, but well done the keeper for getting something in the way. Delo looks to be onside here. He's got Ahmad in the middle. This is Ahmad. Oh, it just bent away from him as the cross came in. He never so slightly swerved behind Ahmad. Mazraoui tries one. Blocked by Robertson. And Kobe Mane finds his shot deflected out for a corner. That's as dangerous as Manchester United have looked today. Well, it is, and you called it, Conor. I mean, he's basically just gotten ahead of it, certainly onside when Dalla was played in. And it's that bend on the ball that he just ran a little in front of and couldn't recover, couldn't get his head around it to steer it on target. Gakpo. That's good from Gravenberg. Mane who couldn't hold on to it. So close. Ryan Gravenberg, whose main job is to disrupt the opposition, but very close to giving Liverpool the lead here. This is what he's so good at doing, just opening his body up, got away from Mane. And you just mentioned him scoring against Fulham last season. I thought he was going to register again. This is Jones. Dipped by Mane. Ugarte. Manchester United showing a bit of fight, which hasn't always been in evidence for them this season. Dello. Now Hoyland. No flag. Rasmus Hoyland for Manchester United. Denied by Alisson. Bruno Fernandes following up. And his attempt was blocked by Alexander-Arnold. Manchester United finishing this first half strongly. Too many players forward as Diaz looks for Mo Salah. Martinez is the defender. And Salah just seemed to scoop the ball as he connected with it. First chance that he's had down the other end today, but Rasmus Hoyland might have been in here. Yeah, I mean, look, it's clever of him because Alexander-Arnold has played him onside and he made the run arc so as he could be okay. And then it was just a case of whether he would be smothered by Alisson and the big man has managed to defend it really well yet again. But it is an effort on target from Manchester United. It is more progress. That was nervy. That's what we haven't seen much of today from Manchester United. And a short opening 45 minutes comes to an end with a sloppy moment. But Amorim will be pleased overall. Alexis McAllister, who had the best chance of that first half for Liverpool. Rasmus Hoyland down the other end. Similar opportunities, both saved by the goalkeeper at the time. So often in these games, Mo Salah comes up with something special. But for now, it's Liverpool nil. Manchester United nil. Manchester United have lost their last three consecutive home league games. But hoping that they can deliver some cheer for their supporters on the road here. What is normally such a difficult place to come. Maguire. Kerate. Delo, who saw a lot of possession down this left-hand side from Manchester United in the first half. Liverpool playing towards the Kop now, as they like to do in the second period of games. Kerate. Salah. Manchester United have kept him under very close scrutiny so far. Just one shot of goal from Salah, which was way off target in the first half. Delo. Pace from Diogo Delo. Hoyland had come towards the front post as the ball flew over him. Martinez. Bruno Fernandes. He just stood off him for a moment. Lissandro Martinez! Manchester United take the lead. His second moment for the Argentinian. Huge for him and his team. Things hadn't been going brilliantly for him of late. But once he got himself in position, and sometimes he does step up the pitch to try and get tight to somebody, he just kept going. And Fernandes was able to just play him in, and the finish was immense. And that was him just getting there ahead of Salah. And once he releases this, he's just kind of looking for a little flick through, which comes now from Fernandes and Bowe. Wow. That's a tremendous, tremendous finish. Probably thinking the only thing I can do is go high and smash it. And he couldn't have judged it any better than he did. He has absolutely rifled that. And Liverpool, who've only lost once under Arne Slott, find themselves behind. Liverpool fans need a good delivery here from Alexander-Arnold. He got it. Gravenberg. The VAR did look to see if there was some holding in the penalty area, but it's already been checked and cleared. This is Gakpo. Great turn! Six minutes after going behind, Liverpool are back to 1-1. And it's ten goals in his last 15 games for Cody Gakpo. I just wonder whether he was one of the players that was about to be substituted. Gakpo, because this is absolutely brilliant. Manchester United think they've cleared their lines, and he's made a clever little run in behind when they're all drawn to the ball. And in stepping inside, they could have been quicker getting to them. De Ligt is left on his backside. And Gakpo finished with a plumb, as Martinez did at the other end. Both quite similar. Now, there is a discussion here as to whether Liverpool may have been offside in the build-up here. The video assistant referee today is Chris Kavanagh. Fantastic finish from Cody Gakpo. Here's the reaction from the respective coaches. Liverpool, who are about to bring on Darwin Nunes and Diogo Jota. But this goal is going to stand. It was checked. It has been approved. It's Liverpool 1-1. Manchester United 1-1. Gravenberg. Konate. Space for Alexander-Arnold to get the head down, to sell the dummy to Bruno Fernandes. Oh, it ricocheted. It disappears and it came off De Ligt's arm. Manchester United, for a moment, were very worried there, as Liverpool screamed for a penalty. Well, I think he could be in trouble for this. I mean, look, the proximity is extremely close, but why are you putting your arm up that high? It doesn't need to be up there. The play continues. But we haven't heard the end of this. Michael Oliver has been asked to hold up play. Michael Oliver is going to come to the touchline, I believe, to have a look at this for himself. And as you say, Jim, there's the collision of two directives here. His arm should not be up there, but it is in close proximity. So which one is the dominant decision? Well, we're about to find out, because Michael Oliver is currently reviewing it. I mean, initially, I thought, well, that's so close. It's come at him, like, very, very quickly. But then I think, well, that shouldn't be up there. It didn't take long. Michael Oliver points to the spot, and Liverpool, at the Kop end, are going to have a penalty. What a turnaround. Martinez's goal was in the 52nd minute. It put Manchester United on cloud nine. But Liverpool have dragged this back, and it could be about to tilt in their favour now. We see an awful lot of this nowadays. Gakpo is actually on the spot with the ball, or had been. And you would expect Salah to step up. It is more than 25 years since Liverpool were last awarded a Premier League penalty against Manchester United here at Anfield. The last one was scored by Jamie Redknapp, here at the Kop end in 1999. Mo Salah, who scored a penalty at Old Trafford last season, up against Andre Onara, who saved a penalty against Cameron Archer in the Southampton game in September. He saved a rebound in that incident too. Mo Salah. Turn it around! And the league leaders are in front. Unsurprisingly, it's him again. Doing the damage. And just lifting the atmosphere to a complete new level. Two Liverpool goals in 11 minutes. The form that he is in at the moment. Liverpool fans were always confident that Mo Salah would stick that away. Alejandro Garnaccio comes on for Kobe Bale. Yeah, and that'll mean Bruno Fernandes will just drop into central midfield now and Garnaccio should operate from United's left. Into Matthijs de Ligt. Westbring is reaching for the yellow card. Booking for the Uruguayan. Yeah, he's just, he's overdone it. Nunez. I mean, you know, that's in the face. As well, that's... It's Liverpool's first yellow card today. It means that Darwin Nunez will trigger a suspension. Sandro Martínez cannot take it ahead of Hoyland again. Bruno Fernandes to Garnaccio. He's got Hoyland in the middle here. He's got Amad too. And Amad scores for Manchester United! He got the winning goal against Liverpool in the FA Cup last season. He's dragged this match back to 2-2 today. It's a brilliant response from the visitors. Well, we saw it in the first half on the far side of the pitch. And now we're seeing it on the near side in the second half. That's where most of the action has taken place. And he was moaning earlier on about Alexander-Arnold maybe not stopping the crosses. Well, I think he's going to be moaning yet again because of it. And it's Garnaccio who looked to be the greatest ball in, but Amad just got there before Robertson. And Robertson's buried his head in the ground straight away. It's finished very well. I mean, he's taken away from Alisson who can do little about it. And when you get those ones that go through legs, keepers never really anticipate it. They can't judge it. There's meant to be a big headline-grabbing finish here. Bruno Fernandes! And it was a tricky one for Alisson as he just shoveled it away. Yeah, well, importantly for Alisson, he got his body right behind it. He was able to just not deliberately help it around the post, but he got it there. There's been a variety to the Manchester United quarters. They are keeping Liverpool thinking. This one is swung in. Amad is at the back post! Shades of Paul scored to the pass. Wouldn't quite fall for Xherxe. This is Delo. Now, can Liverpool break Diogo Jota? Mo Salah. There's a charge of red shirts inside him. What a pass towards Darwin Nunes! Challenge by Xherxe. Jota! Saved by Onana. Late drama at Anfield. Great touch from Bradley! And he nearly caught Onana out of the front post. That might have been going in. It's a corner. Just to confirm, the video assistant referee has looked at the Xherxe challenge. They say no penalty here. Yeah, I mean, it looked as if he got something on the ball. Good hit from Jota. And once Bradley does well to get round the back here, I think Onana does well, because he's off his near post. And he reads it. He's got the ball. It's Yoro. Yoro, yeah. Lenny Yoro. Manchester United spent a lot of money on him. Showing his class with that tackle. We are into stoppages. There's still seven minutes of this to go. Robertson. Flick on by McAllister! And Onana so grateful that it popped into his arms. What a second half this has been. Thrill a minute. And it ain't over yet. Xherxe. Bruno Fernandes. Garnaccio. Dalot. Stretching at the byline. Canate stumbled. Back in by Garnaccio. Still alive for Ahmad. Masraoui. They've just announced to the loudspeakers here of the seven minutes to be added on. One of those crazy finishes to a game where arguably supporters of both teams will think they could win this now in stoppages. Virgil van Dijk who could have won it here. Yeah, I mean it was a kind of a gentle header because the sting had been taken off it I think from McAllister's flick on. Concentration required late on in these high profile games. Intense atmosphere. Masraoui moving to the final of the seven minutes of stoppages. Fernandes free kick. High and hopeful and Harry Maguire couldn't get a clean touch. Ugarte. Oh, that's an interesting pass. Bruno Fernandes. Joshua Xherxe. Pulls it back for Harry Maguire! That could have won the game! Harry Maguire who scored against Liverpool in his Leicester days. That was a match winning opportunity. Xherxe was so unselfish. Maybe too unselfish. Agree, what a ball from Ugarte to start it all off. And then Xherxe borderline on or off. And you think he's just queued it up. He did bounce it into him. And he doesn't catch it well. He can't get over it. Harry Maguire and it's Gwanda. The huge moment's Gwanda. It is the last chance of such an entertaining game. Hardest slot. Doesn't get the three points he's so used to receiving. But Liverpool still only losing one since his arrival. They were asked questions today. Lissandro Martinez rifling in a brilliant goal. His first of the campaign. Ruben Amirim who has unquestionably had a difficult start to this job. But the new Manchester United manager is developing a knack of producing his better results against his club's biggest rivals. He won the Manchester derby at the Etihad. And now Amirim has taken points off Liverpool at Anfield. A thrilling game in chilling temperatures. Liverpool 2 Manchester United 2