United and Liverpool share the spoils in injury-ridden stalemate

Manchester United 0 – 0 Liverpool

It was a clash that may have decided the destination of the Premier League trophy less than a decade ago, either to the famed Premier League bastions of Old Trafford or Anfield. But now it is only Liverpool who can realistically dream of lording over the rest of the division.

However, high-flying Liverpool were left frustrated as their title challenge experienced yet more turbulence at the home of their arch rivals. A lack of quality in forward positions, coupled with heroic showings from United players seemingly torn apart by a spate of injuries led to a tense and intense goalless draw.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was forced to shuffle his deck before the game when Nemanja Matic suffered an injury in training on Saturday. Scott McTominay instead came into the side – and one must wonder what the future holds for Fred, who had to settle for a place on the bench once more.

Virgil van Dijk returned for Liverpool, with James Milner preferred ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold at right back and Fabinho also earning a recall.

A frantic clash in the mid-afternoon sunlight at Old Trafford set the scene for a rip-roaring atmosphere in one of football’s most famous and feared stadiums. But amidst the excitement for what could be, there lurked a notable nervous energy – culminating in an almost fatal error from Ashley Young in only the first minute.

The veteran full-back’s pass to David de Gea lacked power, allowing Roberto Firmino to almost steal in. As the Brazilian looked to steer around United’s shot stopper, the ball clipped against de Gea’s arm, causing referee Michael Oliver to award the visitors an indirect free-kick. But from 15 yards, Milner could only fire his strike into the United wall.

Marcus Rashford soon darted in behind the Liverpool defence before shooting from 25 yards, but Joel Matip’s timely deflection allowed goalkeeper Alisson to grasp hold of the loose ball.

Moments after Mohamed Salah bent a free-kick from close range over the crossbar disaster struck for the hosts. Firstly, Rashford visibly limped away from a challenge with Jordan Henderson, just minutes before the integral Ander Herrera had to be withdrawn with what appeared to be a hamstring strain. Andreas Pereira replaced the Spaniard.

The bizarre opening half hour in Manchester then took another dramatic twist. Both Juan Mata and Firmino also became injury victims and trudged off the field, with Jesse Lingard and Daniel Sturridge replacing them respectively.

The stop-start nature of the encounter resulted in constant misplaced passes and wayward attempts from distance that failed to trouble either goalmouth. But United’s threat on the counter was still present, and van Dijk was required to stand firm and emphatically head away Paul Pogba’s bending effort from 2o yards.

Substitute Lingard then came inches away from opening the scoring. Romelu Lukaku’s deft pass carved apart Liverpool’s centre-halves but as the England international looked to round Alisson, the Brazilian ‘keeper plunged to his left and palmed the ball away before Lingard could tap into the empty net.

That soon proved to be the 26-year-old’s final touch, as the substitute then had to be hauled off in Solskjaer’s third and final forced change.

Henderson diverted a cross straight at de Gea before Lukaku tested Alisson with a header of his own in the half’s final piece of action.

As both sides emerged from the interval, the home crowd appeared to have rediscovered their voice, urging on the battered and bruised United ranks.

The hosts soon latched upon the momentum, and Pogba and Alexis Sanchez both came close from successive free kicks, although the two attackers were promptly flagged offside.

An inch perfect ball over the top of the Liverpool defence was then agonisingly mis-controlled by Rashford, as the red shirts continued to flood forward. The in-form striker lashed into the side netting from a tight angle soon after, seemingly having powered through the knock that had plagued the majority of his first half.

The visitors’ frustration stretched past the 65th minute, as Georginio Wijnaldum opted to let fly from distance instead of using the support hurtling down his left and right.

The Dutchman soon looked to trouble the hosts’ goal once again, but struggled to shrug off McTominay’s attentions from a corner kick and saw the ball skew just wide of the far upright. Matip then glanced the resultant set-piece off target.

In search of the opener, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp opted to introduce Xherdan Shaqiri, the Swiss international having bagged a brace in the two sides’ last encounter at Anfield.

But it was United who came closest to breaking the deadlock once again, and were only denied the opener by a raised offside flag. Another floated free-kick from distance was aimed towards the right side of the visitors’ penalty area by Luke Shaw. The delivery was fired across the face of goal and smashed beyond Alisson inadvertently by Matip, only for the referee to spare the defender’s blushes and chalk off the effort.

It wasn’t until the dying embers of the clash that the first, real guilt-edged opening was created. Lukaku’s inviting cross from the right deceived Matip, allowing Smalling a clear run at goal. But the delivery fell inches in front of the centre-half, who was unable to tap home past the rooted Alisson.

The full-time whistle was soon blown, meaning a share of the spoils and further frustration for title-chasing Liverpool.