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| Klopp and Mourinho hugging after the match |
Manchester United leave with a well-earned point, but they never looked like they were trying to claim anything more than just that. Ander Herrera was exceptional again in midfield, but the Paul Pogba conundrum continues, with the Frenchman something of a no-show. Nevertheless, Jose Mourinho will be content with a point -Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool will be frustrated, though.
Meanwhile Mourinho’s side had won the last four league matches against their fierce north west rivals but were forced to settle for a solitary point in a tense encounter that failed to live up to the huge pre-match hype.
No team can better Liverpool’s 73 Premier League goals since the arrival of Klopp last October, but their swashbuckling attack was kept firmly in check by a United defence superbly screened by Herrera and Marouane Fellaini.
Chances were almost non-existent in the first half, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic spurned the best opening of the first hour when he contrived to head Pogba’s curling cross away from the Liverpool goal.
David de Gea made a super save to deny Emre Can as Liverpool continued to do most of the attacking work, with the introduction of fit-again Adam Lallana from the bench adding renewed impetus to their approach, and the Spain number one clawed a thunderous Philippe Coutinho strike away from the top corner 10 minutes later.
Substitute Wayne Rooney entered the fray for the final 13 minutes but the out-of-favour United captain could not repeat his winner in the same fixture last season, as a packed Anfield – in which there seemed to be no repeat of the unsavoury chanting about which both clubs had warned their fans – was forced to settle for a stalemate.
Culled from Goal.com