Alex Keble analyses the thrilling 2-2 draw between Liverpool and Manchester United.
TV Info - Broadcasters
And to think this match was nearly called off.
As Harry Maguire scooped a glorious chance over the bar deep into stoppage time, denying an epic and rain-soaked North West derby the cinematic ending it deserved, it was hard to believe Merseyside had awoken to a blanket of snow and fears of a cold, empty Sunday.
Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United defied the elements; shook off the snow and rain to give supporters one of the most fiery, wild and entertaining meetings between the two sides in years.
Ruben Amorim will be the happier of the two managers, even if he will rue those missed chances, most notably Maguire's in the final moments.
“When we are focused, when we fight for every ball, when we suffer and we are tired when the game is finished, we are a good team,” Amorim told Sky Sports.
That is surely the message Amorim will give his players, because despite United remaining winless in five in all competitions and mired in the bottom half of the table, they set a template here: an attitude, fight and tactical coherence missing through December.
Mainoo and Ugarte produce fight Amorim has demanded
Amorim said in the week that his players were “too anxious, too afraid,” and there were concerns among some supporters that the manager’s talk of a relegation battle might increase the tension.
Instead, it provided the shock – the jolt of electricity – exactly as Amorim had intended. United were fearless at Anfield, and it showed most of all in central midfield.
Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte made the joint-most tackles in the match, producing four apiece, in a furiously combative performance that represented everything the Casemiro and Christian Eriksen partnership was missing against Newcastle United.
The energy of Mainoo and Ugarte – helped by Bruno Fernandes dropping in - made up for the gaps that have so often appeared in Amorim’s two-man midfield, while emphasising the relationship between tactics, technique and fitness.
The tactical strategy cannot work without the right component parts.
In Mainoo and Ugarte, Amorim has surely found the work-rate and defensive clout required to anchor the 3-4-3.
“Mainoo, Ugarte and Fernandes controlled midfield against Gravenberch, Jones and Mac Allister, who have been outstanding all season,” Gary Neville said on Sky Sports.
"The backline did well, but they were the standouts. It was an outstanding performance."
Targeting Trent typifies United’s fearless performance
The game plan from Amorim was largely effective and certainly more so than in recent matches, with focus placed on direct football to get behind Liverpool’s defence – and in particular target Trent Alexander-Arnold.
A huge 53 per cent of Man Utd’s attacks came down Alexander-Arnold’s side, while Diogo Dalot had 70 touches of the ball, the second-most among United players and only two touches fewer than any Liverpool midfielder.
Man Utd's direction of attacks
It was typical of United’s fearlessness, with Dalot – so often playing sideways under Amorim – venturing forward to put Alexander-Arnold under pressure.
It led to the first goal, when the Liverpool right-back gave the ball away and then lost track of Lisandro Martinez as the Argentinian went through to score.
Then, after hitting that side again and again, Amorim’s introduction of Alejandro Garnacho moved United into fifth gear – and produced the equaliser when Garnacho got behind the defence to cross for Amad to score.
Slot’s changes the highlight for frustrated hosts
Liverpool certainly played their part in a thrilling battle, and although it was Amorim telling Sky Sports his team are “mad” to have only picked up a point, the hosts will feel they should have won after producing several waves of pressure.
But perhaps hampered by the difficult conditions, Liverpool couldn’t quite click in the final third, until, that is, a frantic period after Cody Gakpo produced an equaliser with their standout moment of the match.
Arne Slot’s reputation for calm and controlling football is overstated, but even so, nobody could have predicted he would lean into the chaos and wrench open the contest with an ultra-attacking double substitution immediately after the Liverpool equaliser.
It was a move straight out of the Jurgen Klopp playbook.
Almost as if admitting Mainoo and Ugarte were winning the midfield battle, Slot brought on Diogo Jota to play at the tip of midfield and gave the battering ram Darwin Nunez a run up front.
Naturally, the match became hopelessly end-to-end after this, initially forcing a dazed Man Utd right back, until, camped in their own box, they gave Alexander-Arnold too much space to cross into the box and create the situation that led to Liverpool's penalty, converted by Mohamed Salah.
For the first time under Amorim, Man Utd have a foothold
But the match remained open after Liverpool took the lead, and although Virgil van Dijk had a good chance from a corner in stoppage time, Man Utd seemed the more likely to win it once Amad had scored.
Maguire’s miss will hurt, but when the dust settles, United supporters can be pleased their team finally have a foundation upon which to build, because unlike the smash-and-grab nature of the 2-1 win at Manchester City, here United were confrontational.
“That's the best Man Utd have played for a long, long time, including the performance at Man City, where they won,” Paul Scholes said. “They were better today.
“They're up against the best team in the league - probably the best team in Europe. They've gone toe to toe with them.”
That analysis felt unthinkable prior to kick-off, when Man Utd pundits were more downbeat than ever about their team’s chances.
Perhaps some of that negativity will begin to dissipate after this, because Amorim – at last - has a foothold; has a team with fire in their belly again, ready and willing to play without fear.
