Manchester United v Liverpool (May 2020-21)

Manchester United v Liverpool (2020-21)

Manchester United Liverpool 2 4
HT:1–2 Report
Event	Premier League 2020-21
Date	Thursday 13 May 2021
Venue	Old Trafford, Manchester
Player of the Match	Trent Alexander-Arnold
Referee	Anthony Taylor
Attendance	0
Weather	13 °C (55 °F)
← Man Utd - Leicester Liverpool - S'hampton Man Utd - Fulham Liverpool - West Brom →

Manchester United v Liverpool was a match which took place at the Old Trafford on Thursday 13 May 2021.

Jurgen Klopp celebrated his first win at Old Trafford as Liverpool came from behind to beat Manchester United and boost their chances of a Champions League place.

In a thrilling game played against the backdrop of noisy protests against the United ownership outside the ground, United struck first through Bruno Fernandes' deflected opener.

But Liverpool, who had seen one of their buses prevented from picking team members up before the game after being blocked in the street, hit back through Diogo Jota's instinctive effort.

Roberto Firmino, who had only scored once since his two-goal haul at Crystal Palace in December, then put his side on top with a well-taken double either side of half-time.

Marcus Rashford pulled one back for United midway through the second half but Mohamed Salah wrapped up the points with a late breakaway strike for his 21st Premier League goal of the season.

That moved him level with Harry Kane in the Golden Boot standings and condemned Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side to a sixth home defeat of the season.

The result takes Liverpool fifth in the Premier League. If they win at West Brom on Sunday they will close to within one and three points respectively of FA Cup finalists Chelsea and Leicester, who still have to play each other at Stamford Bridge on 18 May.

Brendan Rodgers was in charge in March 2014, the last time Liverpool beat United in an away game.

Jordan Henderson's groin injury meant there was no-one left from that night in the visitors' ranks, and Klopp celebrated his debut United away win with a double fist-pump as Salah scored.

Salah might have had the chance to get on the scoresheet much earlier in the game had referee Anthony Taylor not consulted the pitch side monitor and changed his decision to give a penalty for Eric Bailly's tackle on Nat Phillips.

Knowing victory was needed to maintain a realistic top-four chance, Klopp appeared distinctly unimpressed by the incident. The Ivorian defender certainly played the ball first but the force behind the challenge sent the Liverpool defender flying.

In a game that started to the sound of a police helicopter whirring overhead, Liverpool did not have to wait long for another chance.

Jota's finish was excellent but United's defence stood off Phillips after a corner, allowing him to run and turn before his shot spun to the feet of his Portuguese team-mate.

Trent Alexander-Arnold's superb free-kick delivery to the far post in first-half stoppage time invited Firmino's header to put Liverpool ahead - and was a timely reminder of his ability with England boss Gareth Southgate watching from the stands.

This was one of those nights that made you wonder how United have managed to get themselves in line for a second-place finish.

Unlike Tuesday's defeat by Leicester, this could not be put down to a weakened team.

The hosts even had a helping had for their opening goal, as Phillips turned home a Fernandes effort that may just have been curling in at the far post.

Liverpool's first two goals exposed long-existing frailties defending set-pieces. Their third was terrible defensively, as Fred giving the ball away with a blind pass to the wing from inside his own box.

Dean Henderson then spilled Alexander-Arnold's fierce shot straight to Firmino, who applied the first-time finish.

Another misplaced Fred pass began the counter-attack that led to Jota firing against the post. Little wonder Harry Maguire, sat in the stands nursing an ankle injury that threatens to keep him out of the Europa League final with Villarreal on 26 May, bellowed encouragement from the sidelines.

The flowing move that led to Rashford's goal on 68 minutes showed United's attacking ability but, without Maguire, they struggle badly at the back at Salah's pace exposed them again at the end to finish off any hope of a comeback.

Addressing the protests before the game that Greater Manchester Police revealed had led to two arrests, a club official said the Glazer family were committed to communicating to supporters in a different way.

Quite simply, many of those fans do not believe the message.

Co-chairman Joel Glazer is due to speak at a Fans Forum for the first time after the season has finished. Before that though, United must get through their final home game of the campaign, against Fulham on 18 May, when 10,000 fans will be in attendance.

It is impossible to conceive the barriers that have been erected outside the stadium will remain with so many people about. It is fairly obvious the huge numbers of police will be back, although there is nothing they can do to stop the anti-Glazer chants that seem almost inevitable.

Match

Details

13 May 2021 20:15 GMT	Manchester United	2–4	Liverpool	Old Trafford, Manchester Attendance: 0 Referee: Anthony Taylor
	Bruno Fernandes  10' Rashford  68'	HT:1–2 Report	Jota  34' Firmino  45+3', 47' Salah  90'

Manchester United

Liverpool

26 Dean Henderson 29 Aaron Wan-Bissaka 03 Eric Bailly 86' 02 Victor Lindelöf 23 Luke Shaw 39 Scott McTominay 17 Fred 63' 10 Marcus Rashford 18 Bruno Fernandes 06 Paul Pogba 07 Edinson Cavani Substitutes: 01 David de Gea 08 Juan Mata 11 Mason Greenwood 63' 19 Amad Diallo 27 Alex Telles 31 Nemanja Matić 86' 33 Axel Tuanzebe 34 Donny van de Beek 38 Axel Tuanzebe Manager: Ole Gunnar Solskjær

01 Alisson 66 Trent Alexander-Arnold 47 Nathaniel Phillips 46 Rhys Williams 26 Andrew Robertson 05 Georginio Wijnaldum 74' 03 Fabinho 06 Thiago Alcântara 11 Mohamed Salah 90+2' 09 Roberto Firmino 20 Diogo Jota 74' Substitutes: 10 Sadio Mané 74' 13 Adrián 17 Curtis Jones 74' 21 Kostas Tsimikas 23 Xherdan Shaqiri 27 Divock Origi 58 Ben Woodburn 62 Caoimhín Kelleher 76 Neco Williams 90+2' Manager: Jürgen Klopp

Man of the Match: Trent Alexander-Arnold Assistant referees: Gary Beswick Adam Nunn Fourth official: David Coote

Match rules 90 minutes, no extra time or penalties. Three points awarded to winner, none to loser. One point awarded to each in the event of a draw. Nine named substitutes Maximum of three substitutions

Match Stats

• Match Stats

Overall	Manchester United	Liverpool
Goals scored	2	4
Total shots	18	17
Shots on target	3	8
Ball possession	53%	47%
Corner kicks	6	4
Fouls committed	10	12

See also

• 2020-21 Premier League: Match day 35
• Manchester United v Liverpool postponed match

External links

• Match report at BBC.co.uk
• Match report at Premier League.com

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