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Monday 06 January 2025 10:45
Manchester United began 2025 in encouraging fashion with a front-foot performance away to Premier League leaders Liverpool, earning us a 2-2 draw at Anfield.
Fresh from three consecutive defeats in the top-flight as we travelled to the pace-setting and in-form Merseysiders, United were unfancied ahead of kick-off but showed our quality all over the pitch against Arne Slot’s team.
Lisandro Martinez scored our opener and, though the hosts responded through Cody Gakpo and then Mohamed Salah from the penalty spot, Amad epitomised our character with his 80th-minute equalising goal.
We might have hoped for even more, given the quality of our display and the chances we created – Harry Maguire might have had a winner in second-half stoppage-time, to name just one such instance – but a point was welcomed given our recent fortunes at the home of our north-west rivals.
Here are some of the things we noticed from a promising afternoon for Ruben Amorim’s men…
90 in 20: Liverpool v United Video
90 in 20: Liverpool v United
90 in 20 | The 244th instalment of United’s rivalry with Liverpool didn’t disappoint – see extended highlights here…
BREAKING OUR DUCK
Perhaps one of the reasons why United were given so little chance of a result on Merseyside owed to our struggles to register a goal on recent visits to Anfield. So when Martinez scored such a sumptuous opener early in the second half, it was clearly significant.
Not since Jesse Lingard’s effort in our December 2018 trip to face Liverpool – just over six years ago – had United scored an away goal against the Merseysiders. It was an unwanted record that spanned across our last five outings in L4.
It had been even longer since we’d scored twice in a game at Anfield, so Amad’s second to equalise later in the contest was further evidence of the magnitude of our display. It had been nearly a whole decade since we last got a double away to our north-west rivals – that was when Juan Mata famously got a brace in our 2-1 victory in March 2015.
LETHAL LICHA
Anfield has been the home to an unlikely United hero before. John O’Shea is the obvious name that springs to mind – netting a winner in 2007. Rafael scored here in 2012. Even Diego Forlan’s famous brace in December 2002 came with the Uruguayan having only scored three goals that calendar year. So when Martinez was the man to provide our much-craved goal in the 51st minute, there was certainly a hope that his contribution might be one that could decide the game.
Scoring at Anfield, particularly in a win, is often worthy of achieving cult-hero status among Reds – although, admittedly, Licha probably already had that status wrapped up. Martinez had only scored for United once before, though, so it was a pleasant surprise to see him on the scoresheet.
His previous effort in Red was on the road during another high-profile contest, away to Arsenal two years ago this month. So given that penchant, we’ll be keeping an eye on Licha to provide the goods in future trips to the so-called ‘big six’…
Full 90: Liverpool v United Video
Full 90: Liverpool v United
FULL 90 | It’s been described as our best performance under Ruben Amorim so far. Watch it in full, here…
AMORIM’S RECORD
It’s early days, of course, but Ruben Amorim has made an impressive start as United boss judging by one metric. Amorim’s United tenure is still only 12 games young – nine of which have come in the Premier League.
But he’s already had to contest arguably some of the toughest tests on offer in the English top-flight. Before travelling down the M62 to face Liverpool, United had made the shorter journey to Manchester City – of course, registering a win in that game. Before Sunday, United hadn’t come away without a defeat in these two fixtures since the 2020/21 season, when we again won at City and drew at Anfield.
United have performed well in both of those games, and while there are still strides forward to be made, this start can only provide further encouragement for future derbies under Amorim’s stewardship.
Martinez: We played with more freedom Video
Martinez: We played with more freedom
Goalscorer Lisandro Martinez says United played with more belief and freedom at Anfield, and must take that forward…
MIDFIELD MAESTROS
United impressed from the off at Anfield. It was a real team performance, but our midfield was key to it. Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte took up the two deeper central roles and both caught the eye. Ugarte was superb throughout and was the subject of questions from journalists in Amorim’s post-match press conference. His ball-winning ability was crucial, and it was he who started the move that almost led to Maguire winning it in stoppage time.
Mainoo was effortlessly cool on the ball, as has become customary. He went down very early in the contest, but when he was allowed back on, he immediately won the the ball and glided forward. There were flashes of his close control and ability to escape from tight spaces, too.
Fernandes, starting in a more advanced role before moving deeper following Mainoo’s withdrawal, was equally impressive. His goal-creating ability is never in doubt – the assist for Martinez’s strike was an ingenious pass in behind – and he was brilliant on the ball too. Plus his late surge past several Liverpool players was a joy to watch – particularly when all Trent Alexander-Arnold could do in response was hack him down to receive a booking.
DALOT’S DISPLAY
Diogo Dalot was another to play his part in this fine performance, both going forward and at the back. Salah, Liverpool’s talisman, was largely kept quiet by the Portuguese at left-wing back – where he’s so often deputised. It maybe isn’t his most natural role, but that’s often forgotten now.
He did receive a booking for holding Salah back midway through the first half, suggesting hearts might have been in mouths at some point with so much of the game still to be played, but Dalot coped well and never looked in danger of receiving a second yellow.
He surged forward several times, often beating Alexander-Arnold for pace, almost supplying Amad with a cross in the first half, with the Ivorian just misjudging his header, and having a shot well blocked by Virgl van Dijk in the second period.
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Monday 06 January 2025 10:45
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