Premier League GW17 - Liverpool vs Man United

Liverpool vs Man United | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

A titanic match between Liverpool and Manchester United took place at Anfield in a crucial Premier League match. Both clubs were aiming for big points, therefore the stage was set for a match that would affect where they finished in the league.

Liverpool:

Liverpool led the Premier League going into the weekend following their thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park the previous week. In that comeback victory, Mohamed Salah scored his 200th goal for the team, moving the Reds one point clear of the leaders in the league. However, Jurgen Klopp's team dropped to third place prior to kickoff at Anfield due to victories for Arsenal over Brighton and Aston Villa over Brentford earlier on Sunday. Naturally, Liverpool won this exact matchup 7-0 the previous season and would go back to the top with another derby victory.

Man United:

Erik ten Hag has been under increasing pressure lately, even though the United manager was named the Premier League's Manager of the Month for November. The Red Devils' final league game ended in humiliation as they lost 3-0 at home to Bournemouth. They then crashed out of Europe after losing 1-0 at home to Bayern Munich on Tuesday, which put them bottom of their Champions League group. Although some United fans seem to be growing impatient, Ten Hag's team was still sixth in the league standings going into this weekend's games. This game will be crucial for the Manchester visitors, who must defeat their Anfield demons to quell rumors about Ten Hag's future at Old Trafford.

Starting XI:

LIVERPOOL (4-3-3):

Alisson; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Kostas Tsimikas; Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch; Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz.

SUBSTITUTES: Cody Gakpo, Jarell Quansah, Adrian, Harvey Elliott, James McConnel, Conor Bradley, Joe Gomez, Caoimhin Kelleher, Curtis Jones.

MANCHESTER UNITED (4-3-3):

Andre Onana; Diogo Dalot, Jonny Evans, Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw; Kobbie Mainoo, Scott McTominay, Sofyan Amrabat; Antony, Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho.

SUBSTITUTES: Altay Bayindir, Hannibal Mejbri, Facundo Pellistri, Daniel Gore, Willy Kambwala, Marcus Rashford, Donny van de Beek, Sergio Reguilon, Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Anfield Stadium | Picture Credits: SportsPro Media

First Half: Near Misses and Goalkeeping Brilliance

Liverpool dominated possession and created lots of chances during the opening half. Van Dijk and Konate nearly put United's defense under pressure with strong headers. But Andre Onana showed off his goalkeeping skills, pulling off huge saves to prevent the Reds from scoring. Liverpool had nine corners, but the half ended in a goalless draw between the two teams.

With the clubs retreating to their locker rooms, Jurgen Klopp had his work cut out for him trying to penetrate a strong United defense. Liverpool was dominant, but they missed the final touch. Though they lacked much threat in the attacking third, Erik ten Hag's team, now ranked sixth in the league, showed resiliency. More action was anticipated in the second half as both managers looked for the elusive breakthrough.

Second Half: Moments of Brilliance and Frustration

The second half got underway with fresh energy. Alexander-Arnold, Salah, and Diaz of Liverpool showed flashes of skill as they tried to challenge Onana. Despite their few attacking sorties, United's Mainoo and Garnacho kept the Reds' defense on edge. End-to-end action kept supporters on the edge of their seats as the game got more intense.

With every second that passed, commotion erupted in Anfield. Shaw was hit by Tsimikas' cross, which caused penalty appeals, but the referee and VAR waved play through. In injury time, the drama intensified when Dalot was sent two yellow cards in a row for disobedience, leaving United with just ten men. Liverpool lost a late chance when Gakpo failed to take it, resulting in a frustrating draw.

A Missed Opportunity for Liverpool

Liverpool and Manchester United both found it difficult to take advantage of their opportunities in a contest where expectations were high. Given Liverpool's 2.35 anticipated goals against United's 0.63, Klopp will see this as a lost chance to take the top spot again. A goalless game was made more dramatic by Dalot's late dismissal and Onana's valiant efforts.

The Premier League remains unpredictable as Liverpool advances to second position, one point behind Arsenal, while United maintains its seventh-place finish. The attention is now on their next games, where United will play West Ham and Liverpool will play Arsenal for a spot at the top of the league.

Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Picture Credits: Premier League Website