Match report: Man Utd 0 Liverpool 3 (2024)

by

Adam Marshall

Luis Diaz struck twice in the first half, after Trent Alexander-Arnold's early effort was ruled out by VAR, and Mohamed Salah, a perennial thorn in our side, added a third with all of the goals coming from costly turnovers of possession.

After unveiling Manuel Ugarte, our deadline-day signing, to the fans beforehand, Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee made their maiden starts after their summer moves from Bayern Munich, but the occasion was not as we had hoped it would be.

FIRST HALF - DIAZ DOUBLE DENTS REDS' BID

United made a lively start, roared on by our passionate support, but without troubling Alisson in the visitors' goal.

Out of nowhere, Liverpool's first real attack seemed to have produced the opening goal. Ryan Gravenberch advanced into space to feed Diaz and his cross flicked off Salah before Alexander-Arnold got his shot away. The ball was over the line before Diogo Dalot's intervention and the England defender celebrated by kissing the TV camera. However, his joy was premature on this occasion, as VAR ruled Salah was offside when Diaz centred.

It was a clear let off, though, for Erik ten Hag's side and things were pretty even for a spell afterwards. There were precious few chances, even if events did remain entertaining, before the Merseysiders made the breakthrough on 35 minutes. Casemiro's pass was intercepted by Gravenberch and sparked a five-on-three situation. Gravenberch picked out Salah and his cross on the run was nodded in by Diaz at the far post, beating Dominik Szoboszlai to the punch.

The Reds' only shot of the half was mishandled by Alisson, as Noussair Mazraoui's strike went through Virgil van Dijk's legs after Bruno Fernandes's cross rebounded to him, but there were white shirts on hand to clear.

And things got worse, in the 42nd minute, when Casemiro was felled by Diaz and most of the ground expected a free-kick to be awarded. When referee Anthony Taylor waved play on, Salah was again able to supply an assist with Diaz's first-time finish swept past Andre Onana's left hand. Replays showed Diaz did get a touch on the ball in the challenge and there was no suggestion VAR would intervene this time.

SECOND HALF - A LONG 45 MINUTES FOR UNITED

Toby Collyer replaced Casemiro at the interval to make his Premier League debut and one of his first involvements was to nod down for Zirkzee to fire in a shot that was palmed away by Alisson.

Alexander-Arnold's shot was blocked by De Ligt with the flag up for offside in any case but a third goal, seconds later, did put the result realistically beyond any doubt. Kobbie Mainoo was outmuscled by Alexis MacAlllister and Szoboszlai teed Salah up for a clinical finish beyond Onana's dive.

Salah had two further chances inside a matter of minutes, firing over the top before seeing a shot snake wide via a deflection off Dalot inside the area.

Zirkzee had two great chances to reduce the arrears, both created by Marcus Rashford, but his header was kept out by Alisson's smart save and then his touch, on the stretch, could not find the target. Between those attempts, Liverpool substitute Cody Gakpo headed wide with his first touch and Reds defender Lisandro Martinez was not far away, when he hooked in an ambitious overhead kick from Amad's centre.

That was one of our brighter moments from a very disappointing day at Old Trafford, as Arne Slot's side made it three wins out of three for the Premier League campaign.

With an international break about to start, United's next fixture is at Southampton on 14 September.

MATCH DETAILS

United: Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt (Maguire 69), Martinez, Dalot; Casemiro (Collyer 46), Mainoo; Garnacho (Amad 69), Fernandes (c), Rashford; Zirkzee (Eriksen 86).

Substitutes: Bayindir, Heaton, Evans, Antony, Wheatley.

Booked: Zirkzee, Martinez, Mainoo, De Ligt.

Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Bradley 76), Konate, Van Dijk (c), Robertson (Tsimikas 83); Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz (Gakpo 66); Jota (Nunez 76).

Substitutes: Kelleher, Gomez, Quansah, Elliott, Endo.

Goals: Diaz 35, 42, Salah 56

Booked: Van Dijk.

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