Mixed results for Man U men, women
Premier League side stays on top of standings after draw with Liverpool
Manchester United stayed on top of the Premier League standings after drawing 0-0 with Liverpool on Sunday, extending the defending champion’s winless run to four matches.
Liverpool hasn’t gone this long without a win since 2017, but Jurgen Klopp’s team still maintained its unbeaten record at Anfield since that same year thanks to Alisson Becker’s late saves to deny Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba.
“We had two great chances and two great saves,” United captain Harry Maguire said. “It was cagey, but it was two good teams matching up. We found it difficult in the first half to get a rhythm to the game, the press was high.”
It was also a big day for the Manchester United women in Super League play against defending champion Chelsea. Casey Stoney’s side entered Sunday
in first place by three points, but a 2-1 loss to the defending champions put Chelsea back on top with a game in hand after 11 rounds.
Fran Kirby scored the winner
in the 65th minute at Kingsmeadow, four minutes after Lauren James had tied it for Man United. Chelsea’s Pernille Mosegaard-Harder opened the scoring midway through the
first half.
In the Premier League match, Thiago Alcantara’s long-range effort was well saved by United goalkeeper David De Gea in the 78th minute as Liverpool failed to score for a third successive match.
Liverpool, which had a makeshift defence because of injuries, stayed three points behind United, which is chasing its first title since 2013.
The outcome was predictable — the seventh draw in the past 10 meetings between these sides, who meet again in the FA Cup next weekend.
The clash between England’s two most-decorated clubs never got close to fulfilling its billing, with the best quality on show being that from Alisson.
Thiago forced the under-employed De Gea to palm away his strike from distance before Alisson produced the stop of the evening to turn Pogba’s drive for a corner.
“They were dangerous on the counterattack, they’re dangerous away from home,” said Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson.
“We knew it would be a tough game but, like I said, I thought the performance level was really good, counter-pressing, winning the ball back quickly was good.”