Liverpool see of Manchester United in convincing victory
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Your support makes all the difference.Substitute Xherdan Shaqiri scored two goals from deflected shots to help Liverpool beat fierce rivals Manchester United 3-1 and lift his team back atop the Premier League on Sunday.
Days after keeping Liverpool in the Champions League with a stunning late save against Napoli, Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker made a dreadful mistake that gifted United an equalizer through Jesse Lingard in the 33rd minute at Anfield.
But Shaqiri spared Alisson from some of his embarrassment by putting Liverpool back in front in the 73rd — within three minutes of coming on as a substitute — with a low strike that deflected off United defender Ashley Young and went in off the crossbar.
Shaqiri's second goal clinched Liverpool victory and again came via a ricochet, this time off Eric Bailly, to deceive United goalkeeper David De Gea in the 80th.
Sadio Mane had given Liverpool the lead in the 24th.
United has been beaten 3-1 by both of its biggest rivals in recent weeks — it also lost by that score at Manchester City last month — and was outplayed on both occasions.
Liverpool is a point ahead of second-placed City — and 19 points ahead of sixth-placed United — after 17 games.
AP
PREVIEW
What time does it start?
Liverpool vs Manchester United kicks off at 4:00pm (GMT) on Sunday 16th December.
Where can I watch it?
Liverpool vs Manchester United will be shown live on Sky Sports’ Main Event and Premier League channels from 3:30pm (GMT).
Sky subscribers can stream the match online via the Sky Go app.
Highlights will be shown at 10:15pm on BBC Two.
Player to watch…
Mohamed Salah: The Egyptian is back to his very best form, and his individual effort in midweek against Napoli secured the Reds’ qualification into the knockout stages of the Champions League. Last week, Salah scored a brilliant hat-trick away at Bournemouth and the 26-year-old is now the joint top-scorer in the Premier League on 10 goals, alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. However, he drew a blank against United last season, and Liverpool haven’t scored at home against United in the league since March 2015.
Form guide…
Liverpool: WLWWWW
Manchester United: DWDDWL
Odds…
Liverpool to win: 11/20
Manchester United to win: 5/1
Draw: 16/5
(Odds provided by 888 Sport)
18 minutes
There are vulnerabilities in that Manchester United defence.
Losing Chris Smalling so close to kick off can't have helped, but the back three look particularly disjointed and Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic are doing little in the way of a shielding job.
19 minutes
Nine shots already for Liverpool.
Just the one for Manchester United.
20 minutes
A lovely pass from Fabinho allows Liverpool to win another corner.
Andrew Robertson's delivery is poor, and though Marcus Ashford's attempted clearance goes a matter of inches rather than yards, he wins a free kick after a more substantial second attempt.
22 minutes
A rare forward foray from Manchester United, but Andrew Robertson is there to snuff that attack out, and Naby Keita cleverly knocks the ball against a Manchester United player to win the throw.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Manchester United (Sadio Mane, 24 minutes)
What a lovely goal!
Roberto Firmino plays the pass square from wide on the right to pick out Fabinho, who has constantly been in space during the first quarter of the game.
Fabinho sees Sadio Mane surging away in the inside right position from a lackadaisical Ashley Young and plays a delectably clipped ball over the top.
Mane takes the ball down superbly from high up on his chest, settles himself and beats David De Gea with a clinical finish.
Liverpool into a deserved lead.
Liverpool 1-0 Manchester United, 26 minutes
Liverpool are all over Manchester United.
Andrew Robertson has his heels clipped by Diogo Dalot and the young Portuguese goes into Martin Atkinson's book.
25 yards out level with the corner of the box. Andrew Robertson to deliver...
Liverpool 1-0 Manchester United, 27 minutes
Manchester United fail to clear adequately and the ball eventually ricochets to Dejan Lovren six yards out.
It is a rather wild lash from Lovren that flies some distance wide, but another indication of the visitors' defensive deficiencies.
Liverpool 1-0 Manchester United, 29 minutes
Jose Mourinho's side can't get out of their own half.
Manchester United's sole tactic seems to be keep hoisting hopeless passes forward to nobody in particularly, and Liverpool are comfortably regaining possession at will as a result.
Liverpool 1-0 Manchester United, 30 minutes
For once Manchester United manage to string some passes together, and Romelu Lukaku gets beyond Andrew Robertson.
His square pass only finds Liverpool feet, however.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Manchester United (Jesse Lingard, 33 minutes)
Out of nowhere, Manchester United are level.
An awful, awful error from Alisson.
Romelu Lukaku's cross is low and should be comfortably caught by Alisson sliding out from his goal.
The Brazilian seems to have done just that but as he brings it back down to the deck, the ball squirms free.
It is a gift for Jesse Lingard, who lifts it over Alisson lying prone to give his side an unlikely leveller.
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