Man United 2-4 Liverpool : Full Time The Liverpool Win
GamesIndigo.com | FootBall, Liverpool earned their first win in nine visits to Old Trafford as goals from Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah sealed a 4-2 win over Manchester United on Thursday.
Bruno Fernandes' deflected shot put Man United in the lead within ten minutes before goals from Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino gave Liverpool a 2-1 lead at half-time.
Firmino then made it 3-1 to give Liverpool a deserved foothold in the game before a Marcus Rashford strike set up a nervy ending for the Reds. But Mohamed Salah put the icing on the cake after a quick break and finish to give Liverpool all three points.
Must Read: Firmino shoots Liverpool past Manchester United and Into The top-four Reckoning
The result sees them move up to fifth in the table - four points behind Chelsea having played a game less and with their top-four destiny still in their own hands.
Jurgen Klopp made one change from the win over Southampton at the weekend as Roberto Firmino returned to the starting eleven alongside Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah in the attack.
It was an open start to the game with both sides looking to get on the front foot from the off. But it was the hosts that nudged ahead inside ten minutes as Bruno Fernandes slotted into the back of the net.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who got to the byline, laid the ball back for Fernandes, whose outside-of-the-foot effort hit Nathaniel Phillip’s outstretched leg and into the opposite corner past Alisson.
Liverpool thought they had a lifeline in the middle of the half when Eric Bailly caught Phillips just inside the box, but referee Anthony Taylor overruled his original decision after looking at VAR - much to Klopp's amusement on the sideline.
But the Reds found a leveler soon after as they began to build pressure around United's box. Jota found himself at the end of Phillips' derby shot after the center-back won the ball back into the box, with Jota deftly back-seeing the ball into the back of the net past Dean Henderson to make it 1-1.
Liverpool looked dangerous going forwards as they looked for a second, although United continued to pose a threat themselves as they looked for pockets of space in behind the inexperienced duo of Phillips and Rhys Williams.
The Reds then completed the turnaround before half-time as Firmino got on the end of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s exquisite set-piece and headed home to make it 2-1 at the break.
Must Read: Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings: Team news ahead of tonight's Premier League
Liverpool then made the perfect start to the second half as Alexander-Arnold’s strike was parried by Henderson, with Firmino tucking home the rebound to give Liverpool a 3-1 lead.
The hosts were unable to mount a response as Liverpool impressively stifled their attacks and looked favorites to add a fourth goal.
Good play between Salah and Firmino saw the Brazilian play Jota through on goal, however, a heavy first touch narrowed the angle with the Reds forward only able to direct his effort against the woodwork.
Liverpool had United on the ropes as a counter-attack from a United set-piece saw Alexander-Arnold with space down the left. However, his left-footed finish across the face of the goal was kept out by Henderson.
The introduction of Mason Greenwood gave Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side encouragement and the hosts pulled one back soon after as Edinson Cavani fed Marcus Rashford, who made no mistake with a toe-poke finish past Alisson to make it 2-3.
Curtis Jones and Sadio Mane replaced Gini Wijnaldum and the towering Jota as Klopp sought to revive his side and slow United's rise.
It was a nervous end for the Reds, but Salah was in the final minutes, who ran through on goal after being found by Jones before he passed Henderson to give Liverpool all three points.
Another three wins out of three see Liverpool win a top-four spot - which is a remarkable achievement given their dreadful run at the start of this calendar year.
