Harry Maguire’s 84th minute go-ahead goal earned Manchester United a 2-1 victory over the defending Premier League Champions, the club’s first win at Anfield since January 2016 and Ruben Amorim’s first pair
of back-to-back wins as the United boss.
Maguire’s goal saved United from capitulation after conceding a goal to the hosts in the 78th minute.
In an awkward moment of defending, United failed to clear the ball as Liverpool players piled into the penalty area. Florian Wirtz eventually carried the ball into enough space to find Federico Chiesa on the left side who then lasered a cross into the six-yard box. Cody Gakpo then needed to only deflect the ball into the net.
Six minutes later, Matheus Cunha’s aggression earned a crucial corner for United. Bruno Fernandes played a short corner to first-half goalscorer Bryan Mbeumo who fired off a one-timer that was blocked. The ball fell serendipitously back to Fernandes who quickly recycled a cross into the box that Maguire rose above his defensive marker to get to and send it home to the far-side netting.
Following six more minutes of regulation and eight minutes of stoppage, the scoreline remained in United’s favor as the final whistle rang throughout the stadium. Amorim finally has his first signature win as a United manager while the club climbed up one spot into ninth place in a very crowded top-half of the table — only two points off fourth-place Liverpool and three points off second-place Manchester City.
The first half was up tempo as Liverpool and Manchester United traded blows at Anfield.
United were the first to land a haymaker — only 63 seconds after the opening whistle — as summer 2025 signee Mbeumo announced himself in the storied fixture with an exclamation mark.
A header from Maguire up the center intended for Mbeumo was half cleared by Virgil van Dijk’s header as he cleaned out Mbeumo. The ball fell to Fernandes at midfield who quickly found Amad Diallo starting his run on the right wing as Mbeumo quickly got up and raced up the center. Amad found Mbeumo with a perfectly-weighted pass as he darted between the backline to be one-on-one on goal near the right post. As Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté tried to close down, Mbeumo laced a right-footed shot to the near post that Giorgi Mamardashvili could only graze with an attempted save as it flew into the net.
Mbeumo’s goal was the quickest scored so far in the 2025-26 Premier League season, and it was the second time in the fixture in the Premier League era that a player scored in the first two minutes, after Nicky Butt did so a shade over 30 years ago during a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on October 1, 1995.
Both teams would create scoring chances to potentially flip the direction of the match.
In the 21st minute, Gakpo was unlocked by Mo Salah’s pass from midfield. Gakpo cut to his right and hit a curling shot that clanged off the far post.
Three minutes later, Fernandes missed his opportunity to double the lead. Amad held up the ball in the box before cutting to Fernandes who was crashing into the box and one-timed a shot that went wide of the right post.
Gakpo was denied by the woodwork again in the 32nd minute after an awkward shot/cross from the left side drifted and kissed off the inside of the far post before mercifully deflecting out.
Meanwhile, in the 40th minute, well out on the right side, Fernandes whipped in a free kick to Casemiro who was running toward the near post. Gakpo stepped in front to clear and nearly sliced the clearance into his own net.
Following four additional minutes of stoppage, United’s lead held, marking United’s first halftime lead at Anfield in a decade. However, Liverpool was winning the major statistical categories like possession (60-40), shots (7(4)-6(3)), and fouls (3-7). The teams were tied with two corners apiece.
In the second half, Gakpo’s goal was deemed inevitable as the hosts pressed for their equalizer with shots that clanged off the frame of the goal or went wide despite the attackers finding spaces to threaten the goal.
Ultimately, United kept their composure otherwise and did well to negate Liverpool’s opportunity to find a second equalizer.
The Reds return to Old Trafford on Saturday, October 25, to host Brighton & Hove Albion for an important clash of midtable sides determined to gather momentum for a push to earn European football next season.
