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Writer's pictureBobby Vincent

Liverpool 3-1 Man Utd

Xherdan Shaqiri came off the bench to score two late goals as Liverpool return to the top of the league after beating rivals Manchester United 3-1 at Anfield.

Sadio Mane scored a fine goal to break the deadlock for the Reds, before Alisson's mistake was capitalised on by Jesse Lingard, who equalised.

The Reds are now 19 points above their bitter-rivals, and have regained top position by a single point over Manchester City.

 

How It Happened

It was a manic start to the game, with such a high-tempo; something we haven't been accustomed to in this fixture in recent years.

Liverpool eventually took the front foot and were dominant and their dominance paid off 24 minutes in.

Fabinho's excellent lofted through ball to Mane was controlled excellently by the Senegal winger and he volley through David de Gea's legs.

Mane had his first Premier League goal against Manchester United and Liverpool had the goal to reward their start.

However, United grew more into the game and slowed the tempo down. Romelu Lukaku crossed a low-ball in and Alisson seemed to have it under his control but couldn't hold onto it and Lingard pounced to level the game.

It was massively against the run of play - but perhaps the luck United needed in this tough fixture.

United became just the second away team to score at Anfield in the Premier League (Cardiff City in October).

Jose Mourinho would have undoubtedly been the happier of the two managers as we headed level at the break.

Paul Pogba looked on from the bench as Marouane Fellaini entered the game at half-time for Diogo Dalot.

United altered their shape slightly and made it more difficult for Liverpool to continue their high tempo.

A succession of long-range shots from Liverpool never troubled de Gea, from the likes of Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren and Virgil van Dijk.

But Liverpool kept going and they eventually found a way through - when Naby Keita was brought off for Shaqiri.

The Swiss winger made an immediate impact when Mane's cross wasn't dealt with well by United and it fell to Shaqiri, whose right-footed shot was deflected in off the crossbar.

2-1 to the Reds; and it was all set for a nervy final 20 minutes at Anfield. But Shaqiri had other plans and his shot from just outside the box, again deflected in, past de Gea. It was game over.

The last 10 minutes was played out at a relaxing tempo by Liverpool - who really switched on the style; with the Anfield crowd chanting "Ole, ole, ole" every time the ball was passed.

 

The Managers

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp described himself as "over the moon" as he got his first Premier League victory over Manchester United.

"Over the moon about the performance," Klopp said. "The way the boys played tonight was outstanding.

"We saw the line-up of United and their quality - how organised they were and they fight from the back. The plan was to be brave and chip the ball beyond the lines.

"The first goal was if you could have drawn it would have been the goal. It's so deserved. Top, top first-class team."

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho thinks Liverpool fully deserved the 3-1 win on Sunday evening.

"The strongest team won, but they won in the period when they were not stronger than us," Mourinho explained.

"In the first 20 minutes of the first-half there was a huge distance (between the teams). They were better and stronger, they did everything better than us.

"But in the moment when the game was going down, Liverpool's intensity was dying, the centre-backs were shooting from 30-40 metres because they could not find spaces in a dangerous area."

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