Liverpool beat 2-0 Manchester United in the Big Match at Anfield. Virgil van Dijk opened the scoring and a late Mo Salah goal ended any hope of an equaliser.
The pre match talk had been dominated by whether or not Marcus Rashford would feature. Now expected to be out for three months, Solskjaer opted for a 5-3-2 with Luke Shaw as the left sided centre back. It wasn't a line up that would've struck fear into Liverpool, who could name their strongest side with Fabinho and Joel Matip on the bench.
Liverpool struggled to take control of the match and Manchester United started the brighter side but once Liverpool did establish a foothold, it all seemed very easy. They were first to every ball, pressed with more intensity and desire, and created more chances. Gini Wijnaldum was everywhere in the first half.
The first real chance of the game resulted in a goal. From a corner, Virgil van Dijk powerfully headed in from a corner whipped in by Trent Alexander-Arnold. It was beautiful from the Dutchman, as was his and Joe Gomez's defending. They cut out every Manchester United attack in calm fashion. Those two are the best central defence pairing in the league.
Liverpool continued to press for a second and had two goals ruled out. Virgil van Dijk, rightly or wrongly, was adjudged to have fouled David de Gea meaning Roberto Firmino's first Anfield goal of the season did not count. Firmino, on the very next attack, just put the ball wide with the United defence all over the place. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Brandon Williams were being caught out of position time and time again.
Gini Wijnaldum then had his goal correctly ruled out for offside but the move to create the chance was brilliant. The passing and movement by Liverpool was superb and something Manchester United could only dream of. As with big matches, a second goal always seems vital and Liverpool almost paid the price for not getting it. Andreas Pereira missed two good opportunities, including being a bigger toe away from one yard out, to draw United level. Their performance improved towards the end of the half but what Liverpool produced in the first five minutes of the second half was levels above that.
The relentless nature of the press, the desire and the energy from Liverpool was incredible to watch. Salah, Mane and Henderson all had chances saved by de Gea who kept his side in the match. United couldn't get over the halfway line as Liverpool asserted their dominance but still did not get a second goal. Wan-Bissaka, in front of England manager Gareth Southgate, was having his worst match of the season. The comparisons between him and Alexander-Arnold are disrespectful to the Liverpool man.
That second goal didn't come and as time went on, the crowd became more anxious and that hampered Liverpool's performance. They became nervous and allowed Manchester United to come back into the game. Anthony Martial squandered a big chance, smashing well over, and if one team looked like scoring, it was the away side.
Jurgen Klopp responded to the change in impetus by going to 4-4-2 and pushing Salah up to striker. Manchester United left nobody back as Alisson unleashed a pass that played Salah in and, despite the best efforts of Daniel James, finally got the second with the last kick of the match. Liverpool could finally breathe after a win that takes them to 16 points clear with a game in hand.
The fans at the end were chanting "we're going to win the league" and they are right. Liverpool will be crowned champions before May and the gap between them and Manchester United is only going to get bigger and bigger.
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