Liverpool and Manchester United draw a blank at Anfield
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Updated 17/10/2016 at 21:45 GMT
Premier League, Anfield, Liverpool 0 Manchester United 0
Liverpool's Dejan Lovren in action with Manchester United's Paul Pogba
Image credit: Reuters
Liverpool and Manchester United shared the points in a drab Premier League draw at Anfield on Monday.
The much-hyped match saw few chances across the 90 minutes, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic wasting the away side’s best opening when his header from a Paul Pogba cross drifted harmlessly wide 10 minutes into the second half.
David de Gea then kept United in it with two excellent saves from Philippe Coutinho and Emre Can to deny Liverpool a win that would have put them level on points with leaders Manchester City.
As it is, Jurgen Klopp's side remain in fourth place with United seventh, a point behind Everton.
TALKING POINT
Where was Liverpool’s plan B?
The hosts were forced to re-jig the side due to injuries that ruled out Georginio Wijnaldum and kept Adam Lallana on the bench, but it wasn’t until the latter was introduced midway through the second half that Klopp’s side produced anything of note in the final third.
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Liverpool's Adam Lallana shoots
Image credit: Reuters
Daniel Sturridge looked a shadow of his former self and United’s deep-lying defence was able to snuff out Liverpool easily (with Ander Herrera excellent at the base of the visitors’ midfield). The Merseysiders at their best are irresistible to watch, but plan B didn’t just struggle to work… on tonight’s evidence there doesn’t even seem to be a plan B. A title challenge remains out of reach unless Klopp can find one.
MAN OF THE MATCH
David de Gea (Manchester United) – The Spanish stopper produced two brilliant saves in the second half after Liverpool eventually woke from their slumber, first reacting with a strong hand to keep out a Can shot that came through a forest of legs, and then producing one of the most spectacular pieces of keeping so far this season to keep out a trademark long-range ping from Coutinho.
PLAYER RATINGS
Liverpool: Karius 5, Clyne 6, Matip 6, Lovren 6, Milner 7, Henderson 6, Can 6, Coutinho 7, Firmino 6, Mane 6, Sturridge 4. Subs: Lallana 7, Origi 6, Moreno 6.
Man Utd: De Gea 8, Valencia 7, Bailly 7, Smalling 6, Blind 6, Fellaini 5, Pogba 6, Rashford 6, Herrera 8, Young 6, Ibrahimovic 5. Subs: Rooney 5, Shaw 5.
KEY MOMENTS
55 – CHANCE – Pogba whips a peach of a ball across the face of the Liverpool goal, but Ibrahimovic's header fails to hit the target. That's the best chance of the game by a distance.
58 – SAVE – Can wriggles into the penalty area and manages to squeeze in an effort that draws an excellent save out of De Gea. That's much more like it from Liverpool!
71 – SAVE – This is classic Coutinho. He's been largely anonymous today, once again struggling to dictate play as his manager would like, but out of nowhere he unleashes a phenomenal strike that appears destined for the top corner, only for De Gea to produce a world-class save to keep the score at 0-0.
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Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic misses a chance to scores as Liverpool's Loris Karius attempts save
Image credit: Reuters
83 – TACKLE – Firmino thinks he's clean through after a magic flick around the corner by Coutinho, but Valencia produces the moment of the match with a superb sliding challenge to deny the forward just as he's about to pull the trigger. Defensive moments rarely get the praise they deserve, but that is worthy of as much praise as it can get.
STATS AND FACTS
- Liverpool keep their first clean sheet of this PL season. Only Sunderland and Crystal Palace are without a clean sheet in the Premier League this season.
- For the second time in the last 50 league meetings, Liverpool v Manchester United ended in a goalless draw.
- The last time a match between these sides ended without goals was more than 11 years ago, when the Premier League match-up at Anfield ended 0-0 on 18 September 2005. Since then these teams have met each other on 27 occasions in all competitions.
- Sturridge has now failed to score in his last nine league appearances, his longest PL goal drought as a Liverpool player.
MATCH IN A TWEET
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