Amad secures deserved point for United at Anfield
Liverpool 2 - 2 Manchester United
Manchester United showcased a newfound fighting spirit under manager Ruben Amorim, earning a hard-fought point against Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Desperate to avoid a fourth consecutive league defeat for the first time since 1979, United stunned Anfield by taking the lead on 52 minutes. Lisandro Martinez smashed the ball past Alisson with a thunderous finish, silencing the home crowd.
Liverpool responded swiftly, levelling seven minutes later through Cody Gakpo’s brilliantly executed angled strike. The game then appeared to turn against United when Mohamed Salah converted a penalty with 20 minutes remaining, equalling Thierry Henry's Premier League tally of 175 goals. The spot-kick was awarded after a VAR review deemed Matthijs de Ligt guilty of handball.
After all that, United refused to surrender. Amad Diallo, fresh from his heroics against Manchester City, popped up with another crucial goal, calmly slotting in Alejandro Garnacho’s cut-back to secure a dramatic draw.
The impact of a dramatic afternoon at Anfield
Liverpool v Manchester United highlights from United's YouTube account - youtu.be/CdYm5CpM1l0?... More reaction to come from European Super Football - eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com/search/label...
— European Super Football (@superfootball.bsky.social) 6 January 2025 at 17:58
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Arsenal and maybe even Nottingham Forest will have been watching on with interest. This result and performance alongside their dropped points against Fulham a few weeks ago will have given them hope that more dropped are coming.
Despite this, the Anfield side remain in control of the title race with 46 points from 19 games, six ahead of Arsenal with a game in hand as they seek to equal United's 20 English crowns.
For United, amidst the biting cold of a Merseyside blizzard and defying all expectations, they showcased the very qualities Amorim had suggested were lacking, delivering their most impressive performance under his tenure to secure a 2-2 draw.
While the derby victory over Manchester City might stand as United’s standout result under the Portuguese manager, this was undoubtedly their most complete display. Their next game is against Arsenal in the FA Cup and the current holders of that competition will need a similar performance to progress.
Scenes in the away end when Martinez gave United the lead
Liverpool fans: Happy with a point?
William G, a Liverpool fan from Bradford, said: It was a disappointing performance, far below our usual standards, but all things considered, it’s still a decent point. A lot of the players just didn’t seem at their best. Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, and Cody Gakpo were probably the only ones who came close to their usual level. Once the emotions of the game have calmed, this result—though not what we’d hoped for—doesn’t feel too bad."
Shaun added: "The result accurately reflected the game. Liverpool played poorly, while United worked very hard on and off the ball. My concern is that we rely too much on Mohamed Salah for creativity, and we need those in midfield to step up."
James also gave his thoughts: "We fell well short of our recent high standards. The absence of Dominik Szoboszlai's pressing and work rate was really noticeable. Mac Allister was the only real standout in the first half. We did manage to improve after the equaliser, but we still looked unsettled, with our passing feeling off and a bit nervy. That's what ultimately United back into the match."
United fans impressed with improved performance.
European Super Football writer Liam C was in the away end at Anfield. He told us: "A great game and good result that wdfd not expected. Despite letting Liverpool back into the match, I thought we deserved to win this game and could have done with the last kick. There is some optimism at last."
Josh from Middleton told us: "That was a proper battle! It’s brilliant to catch a glimpse of what we know this team is capable of producing. Let’s hope this marks the beginning of a new chapter for the team. The players have shown they’ve got real quality; now they just need to deliver it consistently."
Jamie P added: "An energetic performance with some glimpses of class, this was a good performance from United. I also think it shows important how important Bruno Fernandes is to this team. Garnacho also had a huge impact when he came on. I really think he should be starting our next few matches."
