Manchester United defeated rivals Liverpool 3-2 at Old Trafford on Sunday, securing the top priority under interim boss Michael Carrick of Champions League qualification and doing so against the old rivals.
It wasn’t quite the thumping it seemed it would be after the opening 20 minutes, but a job done and another memorable goal in the young career of Kobbie Mainoo.
The Reds ran rampant in the opening minutes and were rewarded with a goal. Matheus Cunha caught a rebound, and then a second to shoot back
into the crowd after an initial clearance. His second effort took a kind deflection off the rear end of Alexis MacAllister, sending the ball past Freddie Woodman and into the net for 1-0.
As was the case last week, United backed off a little bit after the restart. The visitors held possession but created very little, and upon turning the ball over presented United with an opportunity to break and add to the lead.
United did just that in the 14th minute. Bruno Fernandes launched a curling pass towards Benjamin Sesko on the break. The big man was put off by a nudge from Curtis Jones and whiffed on the initial chance, but play reset with Matheus Cunha crossing to Fernandes at the back post. He headed the ball back towards Sesko, who was able to direct it past a flailing Woodman with his midsection. VAR reviewed the play for handball for three minutes but there was no evidence to overturn, and the goal stood for a 2-0 United lead.
There were chances to extend the lead before halftime, but the willingness to step off a bit nearly let Liverpool back in. Domonik Szoboszlai had an effort denied by Harry Maguire’s face before halftime, but found the net after the restart on a counterattack. A poor pass from Amad sent Liverpool’s forwards running, and attention given to a run by Cody Gakpo came at the expense of marking the Hungarian midfielder, who slotted the chance past Senne Lammens just two minutes into the second half.
10 minutes later, it was Gakpo accepting a gift. A terrible pass by Senne Lammens went right to the opposition, setting up the Dutchman for one of the easiest goals he’ll score in his career. In just a few minutes, United’s command was undone by two bad passes.
The second half settled into deadlock. United still the better team, but the advantage disintegrated by two terrible mistakes led to some more scary moments. The Liverpool section controlled the noise in the ground for a lengthy stretch as well, and with the news that Sir Alex Ferguson had been taken to hospital spreading around the ground by halftime it was a strange mood at Old Trafford.
Until the 77th minute, when Kobbie Mainoo arrived at the top of the box to slot a shot into the net and put United back in front 3-2. The midfielder celebrated his new contract in style, catching a bouncing clearance with a first-time half volley while a sliding challenge swept up his standing leg. The thundering shot was matched only by the sound of the Stretford End, revived by a change in momentum and ignited by the goal.
There was still work to be done over the final minutes. United could have doubled the lead again, but Cunha made the wrong decision in a 4-on-2 counterattack and Patrick Dorgu tripped over the ball while taking a challenge.
Liverpool got a bit of life from substitute Rio Ngumoha, but they didn’t get close to leveling the score again until a stoppage-time cross over the heads of Van Dijk and Konate. It was a nervy finish, but the job was done with a local lad the hero.
With the three points in the bag, Michael Carrick’s United secured qualification for the UEFA Champions League next season and did the double over Liverpool for the first time in 10 years. Not bad.
