Goals : Steel (59).e) et Salah (69eSP) pour Liverpool // Martinez (52e) and Diallo (80e) pour Manchester United
It seems that Liverpool, wide leader of the Premier League and only one defeat in the league, is currently walking on water. It seems that Manchester United, now thirteenth and closer to the red zone than to the places of honor, have rarely been as bad as currently. It seems that Mohamed Salah, twelve pawns and six assists against the Red Devilsis the player who has tortured the enemy the most in the history of the English championship. And yet… However, if the Egyptian found the fault, the outsider of the match made life difficult for the favorite during this twentieth day. So much so that, at the end of a derby full of suspense and twists and turns with four net shakes in the second act despite the snow, the two teams shared the points. Which doesn’t change much in their situation, one fueling in the lead and the other stagnating in the second part of the table.
No, the Red Devils are not (so) bad!
From the kick-off, Liverpool showed their superiority and failed to enforce the logic of the ranking or the last confrontations. Thus, no less than three clear chances are to be noted in half an hour: Cody Gakpo sends his outside just wide, André Onana has to work on a volley from Alexis Mac Allister and the powerful strike from Ryan Gravenberch misses the target for nothing (a few centimeters, more precisely).
But against all expectations, and clearly gaining confidence as the minutes passed without a goal conceded, Manchester gradually showed itself: Amad Diallo, for example, screwed up his header on an interesting cross from Diogo Dalot and Virgil van Dijk saved his camp in front of Rasmus Hojlund to extinguish the counterattack. – opposing attack, while Alisson makes a decisive save on an attempt by the Dane shortly before the interval. 0-0 at the break, therefore, which already represents a little surprise.
Yes, the Reds are (sometimes) takeable!
And then, upon returning from the locker room, the unimaginable happened: United took the lead thanks to Lisandro Martinez’s brilliant opener, who sent a missile into the net following a serve from Bruno Fernandes. Therefore, a question arises: Reds Devils can they do it, they who usually display a level more suited to the fight for maintenance than for that of qualifying places in European competitions? Negative and instantaneous response shouted by Gakpo, the Dutchman responding to the Argentinian a handful of minutes later with a sublime personal exploit.
A reaction which did not prevent Arne Slot from immediately making several changes, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota notably making their appearance. Not even a quarter of an hour later, Matthijs De Ligt touches the ball with his hand in the forbidden zone and concedes a penalty transformed by the inevitable Salah. Except that Diallo doesn’t hear it that way, gets the better of Andy Robertson to cut Alejandro Garnacho’s cross and equalizes. Great strength of character from the visitors, who seem transformed by this opposition against the rival and who can count on Onana for the rest. Pretty bad, thank you gentlemen!
Liverpool (4-2-3-1) : Alisson – Robertson, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold, Konaté – Gravenberch, Mac Allister – Jones (Jota, 61e), Salah, Gakpo (Elliott, 86e) – Diaz (Nunez, 61e). Coach : Slot.
Manchester United (5-2-2-1) : Onana – Mazraoui, De Ligt (Yoro, 84e), Maguire, Martinez, Dalot – Ugarte, Mainoo (Garnacho, 72e) – Fernandez, Diallo – Hojlund (Zirkzee, 87e). Coach : Amorim.
First threatened by snow, Liverpool-Manchester United well and truly maintained
