Liverpool vs Man Utd LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction as Reds go top of the table
Liverpool 4-0 Manchester United: Follow all the reaction from Anfield as Liverpool thump a dismal United side to go top of the Premier League table
Liverpool opened up a two-point lead at the top of the Premier League after inflicting a second, excruciating humiliation of the season on Manchester United with a 4-0 triumph.
Mohamed Salah’s first two goals since February 19 – making it nine in his last six matches against Liverpool’s historical rivals – were supplemented by strikes from Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane but the 4-0 scoreline hardly told the whole story.
It puts the pressure on Manchester City, who host Brighton on Wednesday. This was the first time since October 2009 Liverpool had won three successive league matches against United, beaten 5-0 at Old Trafford earlier this season, but at least in those days it was a competitive fixture worthy of England’s two most decorated clubs.
United, who had one shot on target, have now conceded more Premier League goals this season than 18th-placed Burnley and defeat was a further blow to their top-four hopes.
Follow reaction as Liverpool thump Manchester United:
Liverpool vs Manchester United:
The venue for tonight’s Premier League clash.
Liverpool vs Manchester United: Head-to-head
Liverpool are unbeaten in seven Premier League meetings with Manchester United with four wins and three draws in that run. The Red Devils have failed to score in four of their last five top-flight trips to Anfield, with three of those matches finishing 0-0.
In fact, Man Utd’s last away goal in this fixture was scored by Jesse Lingard in a 3-1 defeat in December 2018.
History shows how Ralf Rangnick can help Manchester United catch Liverpool in the transfer market
Jurgen Klopp can often sound prophetic, but not when he was discussing the appointment of another evangelist for the pressing game. “Not good news for other teams,” said Klopp when Ralf Rangnick became Manchester United’s interim manager. The eventual verdict, should either clinch a Champions League place at United’s expense, might actually be that it proved rather good news for Tottenham or Arsenal.
Klopp could praise from a position of strength. Liverpool had helped expose the incoherence of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s management, surging into a 5-0 lead after 50 minutes at Old Trafford. Klopp argued on Monday that Rangnick has made a difference. “You can see the changes he made, the parts he improved,” he said. Yet the caveat underlined the sense that this is not a Rangnick team, not one defined by intensity or fluency. “He took a difficult job, with no time to get there,” Klopp added.
No time to catch Liverpool, anyway. They were eight points ahead of United when Solskjaer was sacked. Rangnick was never likely to be a threat to them over a season; it would take a dramatic improvement in United’s performance level for him to derail their title challenge at Anfield on Tuesday night.
History shows how Rangnick can help Man United catch Liverpool through transfers
Few have a better insight into what Klopp wants than a man who shares similar beliefs and has a track record of signing such players
Liverpool vs Manchester United
It’s a tense battle for fourth place in the Premier League table with Tottenham, Manchester United and Arsenal all vying for the last Champions League qualification spot.
The competition is so close that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says any of the clubs could yet take the place. Speaking after Liverpool’s FA Cup semi-final victory he said: “We went through now against [Manchester] City, which is incredibly difficult and intense, and in three days we play again against Man United, who with their three points today and the results from Tottenham and Arsenal, the fight for the Champions League, the door is open for all of the three.
“So, they will be on their toes and it is historically not a friendly game.”
Major summer overhaul for United?
Manchester United’s interim boss, Ralf Rangnick believes there will be a major squad overhaul over the summer with some players out of contract and the German predicting this will lead to more than “three or four” additions to the senior playing staff at Old Trafford.
The German feels the timing of any announcement of a new manager should not affect the performances during the run-in but it would have an impact on recruitment, as United prepare to enter the transfer market once the window opens in the summer.
“I think, apart from the goalkeeping, we need to make sure that we improve the squad in all areas,” he told Sky Sports ahead of Tuesday night’s game at Liverpool. “To bring in players who really help the team to get better. Again, it’s about the profile. What kind of players do we need in order to play whichever kind of football we want to play?
“The players have to give their very best, no matter who the next manager will be, and if he’s announced in one or two or three weeks, I don’t think that this affects the current situation we’re in. But yes, of course, it’s important to know who will be the new manager because, to start the recruitment process, to find the best possible players only makes sense if you know who will be the manager and how does he want to play.
“There might be a couple of players - and I have already named those players to the board - that, independent from formation, from style of football, and independent from a new manager, that could be of interest for a club like United.”
Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool must be ‘ready to fight’ for vital win over Manchester United
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp stressed to his players they must consider the visit of Manchester United as the chance to win “the most important three points in your life”.
With seven Premier League matches remaining and a one-point deficit to leaders Manchester City Klopp’s side know they have to be perfect for the remainder of the season if they are to stand a chance of taking the title from their rivals.
And while United, their traditional long-term foes, arrive in a situation a long way short of what could be considered their best, Klopp insists they cannot take anything for granted even though they have won 10 and drawn of their last 12 league matches.
Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool must be ‘ready to fight’ for vital win over Man Utd
Liverpool have the chance to move above title rivals Man City if they secure three points at Anfield.
Henderson closing in on personal milestone
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson will make his 400th career league appearance tonight if he features against Manchester United at Anfield.
The midfielder is currently on 389 Premier League appearances in total, with 10 further Championship showings to his name from spells with Sunderland and Coventry City.
Henderson joined the Reds’ from the Black Cats in 2011 and has amassed 438 games for the club in total so far across all competitions.
Klopp excited for ‘English Clasico’
“It was only a few weeks ago that I said every game for the rest of this season would be a final.” said Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp writing in his programme notes for tonight’s Premier League clash with Manchester United.
“To be honest, I didn’t need to say that about tonight’s fixture. If there is one game in our schedule which will always be a final, it is Liverpool versus Manchester United.
“If ever a match needs zero build-up it is this one. Just being involved in games like this is a privilege. The history of the two clubs and the rivalry that exists between them is so special that you don’t even have to come from Liverpool or Manchester to be able to appreciate it.
“I knew all about it when I lived and worked in Germany and the same goes for so many people around the world who love football. It is an English ‘Clasico’ in this respect.
“If I was not fortunate enough to be manager of one of the two teams, I would want a ticket to watch Liverpool and United play against each other. It would not matter what the competition is or how well the teams are performing, the intensity and the passion that this kind of rivalry brings is always so big that it is almost compulsory to take an interest.”
Ralf Rangnick issues Liverpool warning after Manchester United toil to Norwich win
Ralf Rangnick admits Manchester United will need to perform much better to get anything at Liverpool after Cristiano Ronaldo came to their rescue against Norwich on a day that saw anti-Glazer protests and fans turn on Paul Pogba.
Thousands of supporters protested against the owners ahead of Saturday’s encounter at Old Trafford, where Kieran Dowell and Teemu Pukki goals cancelled out Ronaldo’s first-half brace.
Anti-Glazer chants were joined by those criticising the side as United toiled against the Premier League’s bottom side, with some supporters singing “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” at their players.
Ronaldo saved the day by completing his hat-trick and securing a 3-2 win, injecting new life into their top-four hopes ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Liverpool and Rangnick knows his side will need to step their level up at Anfield.
“I mean, everybody has seen today’s game,” interim boss Rangnick said. “We all know what team we’re playing on Tuesday. If we play like we played today, it will be very, very difficult to get even a point out of this game and this is what we have to be realistically aware of.”
Ralf Rangnick issues Liverpool warning after Manchester United toil to Norwich win
Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick earned United a 3-2 win over the Premier League’s bottom club on a day of protests at Old Trafford
Minute’s applause confirmed for Ronaldo
Fans of Manchester United and Liverpool will unite in support of Cristiano Ronaldo and his family at tonight’s match between the two teams at Anfield.
A fan-led minute’s applause will be held in the seventh minute of the game in a tribute to the Portuguese striker and his partner Georgina, after they announced the loss of their new-born baby boy on Monday.
Ralf Rangnick’s United squad led a request to wear black armbands at Anfield and that has been reciprocated by Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side with both sets of players set to wear the armbands for this evening’s game.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments