Man United hold Liverpool as Mourinho parks bus
LIVERPOOL: Manchester United ceded the initiative in the Premier League title race after drawing 0-0 with arch foes Liverpool in a drab game at Anfield on Saturday.
Despite his side having previously matched leaders Manchester City stride for stride, United manager Jose Mourinho resorted to familiar spoiling tactics that meant his team registered just one shot on target.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have now won just once in eight matches, but this was a brighter showing on a balmy Merseyside afternoon, with Joel Matip and Emre Can going close either side of half-time.
The second successive goalless draw between the teams at Anfield preserved United’s seven-point advantage over Liverpool in the table.
The result meant Manchester United fell short of setting their best ever points tally after eight games of a Premier League campaign, although they have now gone seven games without defeat against their eternal rivals.
United’s shackling of Liverpool’s front three meant Georginio Wijnaldum found himself with space to attack and he tested visiting goalkeeper David de Gea twice in the first 15 minutes.
It took a dazzling stop from De Gea to keep the scoreline blank in the 34th minute, the Spaniard jutting out his left foot to block Matip’s close-range volley from Roberto Firmino’s cross.
After pinching the ball off Philippe Coutinho’s toes, Mohamed Salah thrashed the rebound wide of the left-hand post.
Obliged to plough a lone furrow up front, Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku endured a frustrating first half and should have been booked for cleaning out Joe Gomez with a late challenge.