TELEGRAPH – Was it a sign of Liverpool’s title credentials that they could play so poorly and still show the spirit to come away from Old Trafford with a draw? Or was it a mark of Manchester United’s struggles that they could not hold on for what would have been a precious victory for them and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer?
Before kick-off Solskjaer clenched his fist to the Manchester United fans. On the pitch his team came close to delivering a blow to Liverpool as they nevertheless ended the Premier League’s perfect start to the season but stopped short of inflicting their first loss since last January. They were hit but struck back.
The debate will rage over the involvement of the video assistant referee with a foul in the build-up to Marcus Rashford’s first-half goal although the Premier League later argued that it was not clear and obvious as Victor Lindelof kicked the back of Divock Origi’s leg. That was a poor argument – as poor, in fact, as Liverpool’s performance until the final few minutes which will be a concern for Jurgen Klopp as they dropped points for the first time since March 3 and with their run of league victories ending at 17, one short of City’s record. In saying that Klopp will have been pleased with how his side kept going.
If there was one fixture that United had to summon a response, show some fight and resistance, then this was surely it. They did just that. But how much of it was also due to Liverpool’s curious flatness? And how much did their half-time lead owe to VAR?
Their goal was executed by the exciting young combination of Daniel James and Rashford. James collected possession after running onto a Scott McTominay pass and sprinted down the right before delivering a superb outswinging cross that beat Joel Matip and was met by Rashford who guided it beyond Alisson with the outside of his right boot.
The only problem was, as Liverpool protested, there was a foul on Origi in the build-up. Yes, the Liverpool forward appeared to over-react but he was caught Lindelof. Astonishingly after the VAR check the goal was allowed with Klopp in animated discussions with the fourth official Jonathan Moss.
Clear and obvious? It appeared to be while soon after there was certainly a clear and obvious error by Lindelof who lost the flight of the ball and lost Sadio Mane with the Liverpool attacker proving too strong as he then turned his shot past David De Gea. United protested there was a handball by Mane to bring the ball down and this time the VAR did intervene. No goal.
There had been changes. De Gea was not expected to start for United but overcame a groin problem while they suffered the set-back of losing Axel Tuanzebe in the warm-up to a hip injury although Solskjaer pressed ahead with playing three at the back. For Liverpool Alisson returned in goal after being out for 10 weeks but there was the blow of Mohamed Salah not being fit enough after suffering an ankle issue which, nevertheless, should not rule him out of the midweek Champions League away trip to Genk.
As the whistle went for half-time Klopp ran down the tunnel. He had work to do and switched formations with Origi playing as a central striker – although that did not last long as he was soon replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – and Jordan Henderson wide on the right in a 4-2-3-1. Klopp will surely have been more angry with his team’s poor performance than the controversy over United’s goal.
Liverpool began to dominate but this allowed United to play on the break and Rashford went close as he ran in from the left to shoot narrowly wide as did Fred.