Three successful ground duels, one free kick won and a shot on target in that brief window more than vindicated Slot’s decision to bring him into the fold.e than vindicated Slot’s decision to bring him into the fold.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
But the Reds responded through Cody Gakpo beating Andre Onana at his near post with a rifled effort into the roof of The Kop’s net after cutting inside.
They went ahead after a handball by Matthijs De Ligt was brought back by VAR, allowing Mohamed Salah to clinically convert from the spot.
Arne Slot’s side were pegged back as Amad Diallo eluded Virgil van Dijk’s watch to slot Alejandro Garnacho’s cutback from the edge of the area.
The Premier League leaders are now six points clear at the summit with a game in hand.
Here were the key talking points from Anfield:
Reds receive a timely reminder
It might be one of English football’s most storied clashes but Liverpool against Manchester United has seldom lived up to its lofty billing in recent times.
Whether down to the hype or the fact that form goes out the window when these great North West rivals do battle, a stalemate is often on the cards.
The faces have changed but the outcome remains the same as the Red Devils’ first visit to Anfield under Ruben Amorim yielded a hard-fought point.
For a second season, the subpar visitors were able to frustrate the home crowd and strike a blow to their team’s Premier League coronation plans.
But this four-goal thriller offered a timely reminder for Arne Slot’s side as they approach a double-header of cup games with lesser-fancied opposition.
Much of the pre-match talk had been about how many goals the hosts would score, with pundits suggesting a potential cricket score was in the offing.
United’s gumption on their latest trip to Merseyside was a warning that even the most unperforming team can raise their game against the league leaders.
Two points dropped is less than ideal but it should re-sharpen the Reds’ minds for their Carabao Cup semi-final with an equally struggling Tottenham.
Ever since Real Madrid’s tentative enquiry on New Year’s Eve, Trent Alexander-Arnold has found himself thrust into a different type of spotlight
Liverpool’s vice-captain will invariably see the minutiae of his ensuing on-field performances viewed through the prism of the European champions’ interest.
Whether Los Blancos’ failed approach has distracted Alexander-Arnold is unclear but his critics would cite this display against United as a case in point.
It was not solely the homegrown full-back gifting possession to Lisandro Martinez for the opener early in the second half which marked his card.
Bad enough that his botched pass out had allowed them visitors to make previously undue inroads, he also failed to track his respective runners.
Yet his-failings went deeper than that string of errors as United were able to exploit the space in behind while his key markers were worryingly under-par.
When Mohamed Salah won a free kick in prime striking distance, Alexander-Arnold stood over it before allowing his teammate to blaze it into The Kop.
The 26-year-old may find himself passing to white shirts more often in the coming months but for now, his latest outing offers cause for concern.
Returning duo repay Slot’s faith
Slot is not known for springing surprises but broke that habit of his early Liverpool reign by plunging Ibrahima Konate back into the heat of battle.
The France international’s last competitive involvement came in November’s dismantling of Madrid, which culminated in a lay-off period of six weeks.
Reunited with Virgil van Dijk, however, Konate was able to shackle Rasmus Hojlund while keeping tabs on the rest of United’s more effective frontline.
A frenetic end-to-end contest in the second half kept him on his toes while, at the other end, another returning backline figure was able to make his mark.
Like Konate, Conor Bradley spent the final weeks of 2024 working his way back from a hamstring injury sustained in that Champions League game.
His introduction in place of Alexander-Arnold exposed his cohort’s increased shortcomings with more produced in 11 minutes than his predecessor’s 66.
Three successful ground duels, one free kick won and a shot on target in that brief window more than vindicated Slot’s decision to bring him into the fold.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
